In any talks about Russian-Egyptian relations there must dominate the issue of tourism. All official statements regarding bilateral relations inevitably stress the tremendous numbers of Russian tourists coming to Egypt as a proof of a real success in joint business cooperation. According to Egypt’s officials, more than 3 million tourists from Russia visited Egypt last year.
These victorious reports imply that there exists a profound mutual understanding and friendly feelings. Meanwhile it is rather an illusion enjoyed by officials on both sides. In reality both societies bear severe negative stereotypes of each other, while the last 25 years had been marked by events that significantly contributed to formation and rooting of these stereotypes. And without talking frankly about it we will never defeat them.
Twenty years after the collapse of the Soviet Union in Russia were characterized by a drastic decrease of interest towards the Arab world in general and Egypt in particular. That happened due to Russia’s foreign policy focusing on the West and ignoring all other world regions, including the Arab world. Egypt since Sadat times was also mainly Western-oriented despite numerous declarations by Mubarak’s regime about strategic partnership between the two states. At the same time Chechen wars were seen by Egyptians as Russia’s war against Islam, which was actually the continuation of the same idea first appearing during the Soviet invasion into Afghanistan and supporting Serbia during the Yugoslavia war. Actually, presenting Russia as the enemy of Islam and Moslems had been part of West’s information war against USSR and later Russia since Cold War times. Today Egyptians realize what it means to fight terrorists, but at that time – in late 90-es, when Russia was doing exactly the same in Chechnya – most of Egyptians believed Russia is carrying out crusades against Moslems… All that created negative attitude towards Russia in Egyptian society.
At the same time in Russia tense attitude towards Moslems appeared as a reaction to Chechen extremist aggression and terrorist attacks all over the country, which were followed by a wave of islamophobia coming from the United States after the 9/11 events. Egyptians being a substantial part of the Moslem world had been perceived by many Russians as danger.
As the time passed all these dramatic events went into oblivion. Today the situation has changed. Moreover, leaderships of both countries declare positive intentions and enthusiasm as far as Russian-Egyptian relations are concerned. But one must be realistic: it is mainly political tension between Western states and Russia that is forcing Moscow to turn towards Egypt as one of world’s regional centres. Such political guideline slightly contributes to bilateral interaction, but by no means is solving the problem of social stereotypes of Egyptians in the consciousness of Russians and vice-versa. Social stereotypes, which presuppose simplification, wide-spreading, evaluation, inaccuracy, excessive generalization and stability is spread among 60-80% of people in any society.
Within the past decades multi-million flow of Russian tourists headed to Egypt’s sea-side resorts and there were high expectations that visiting Egypt will improve country’s image in Russian society, but the results were opposite: they tend to return back home satisfied with their leisure, adoring the sea-side, sunshine and sometimes hotel facilities, but if asked about Egypt and Egyptians one would get a sad picture.
The mostly wide-spread stereotypes of Egyptians one can hear about in Russia are negative. First of all Russians most probably will tell you that Egyptians are retarded and uncultured and it is a pity that such a beautiful country with such a great history belongs today to such a barbaric nation. The issue of dirt will be definitely mentioned as a disastrous. Secondly comes the stereotype about Egyptians as radical religious fanatics. And finally you will hear about Egypt being a country, where something horrible is happening – it is either war or revolution or some other kind of bloodshed.
Despite that strange Egyptian passion for President Putin Russians still might hear in return a lot of unpleasant comments about themselves. Most of Egyptians in a frank talks will confess that Russians are rude and unpleasant, their men are drunkards and women are prostitutes, they are uncultured - don’t talk English and never smile. And of course the idea about mafia shooting people in Russian streets is unbeatable.
Of course no consistent efforts to change these stereotypes from both sides were made.
Still there exist few positive aspects, which mostly cultured Egyptians and Russians share. Russians are still in love with ancient Egyptian history and culture, while Egyptians admire Russian classical literature. But this is not enough. It is good, it is necessary, but it can no longer be grounds for building really solid friendly relations, especially taking into account intellectual demands of young generations in Russia and Egypt.
The only efficient way to break negative stereotypes is to get closer to each other and know each other better. And here comes the role of culture and means of mass communication – irreplaceable tools of both concept formation and, thus, soft politics.
Today we must have a direct dialogue with each other. Because throughout previous 25 years we were always having an invisible intermediary – the West. Either consciously or unconsciously both Russians and Egyptians looked at each other through western eyes. Most of journalists in both countries offer us news about each other on the basis of what seemed important or significant to their Western colleagues. As if Western mass media sources were the only guideline for them. Of course such situation is unacceptable.
We also need to have a dialogue between intellectuals, culture elites, opinion makers, especially of younger generation. Because the old ones, to whom my deepest appreciation and respect, still tend to recollect good old days of Nikita Khrushchev and Gamal Abdel Naser praising Soviet – Egyptian friendship. But there is no more USSR, not more Naserist Egypt… Today young Egyptians and Russians don’t know each other, but if they start talking they would definitely discover so much in common.
Article was previously published in Arabic in "7 ayyam".
Original is available here (click the preview to open the file):
03.02.2015
