Упрощенная HTML-версия
Author : S. Filatov
Commentator for International Affairs
Alexey Podtserob's latest work "Russia and the
Arab World" was not only an instant success - it is
worthy of our respect. In his highly impressive
monograph, the author has gathered a huge
amount of information about the history of the re-
lations between Russia and the Arab world based
on a thousand and a half sources. This was done
by a highly respected scholar who for many years
had worked in different countries of the Arab East
rising from the lowest diplomatic posts to the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipo-
tentiary of the Russian Federation. The book is not only a scholarly effort but it is also tinted by
the author's far from indifferent attitude to the events and problems described by him.
The book is opened with an introduction written by Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in
which he said, in part: "Alexey Podtserob relies on extensive factual material to reveal the deep
roots of friendly relations between Russia and the Arab world based on mutual sympathy, trust
and an account of common interests."
The reader will find documents related to the establishment and development of contacts be-
tween the Russian Empire and the Arab world, to the aid the Soviet Union extended to Arab
countries and the state of the relations between the Russian Federation and the countries of the
Middle East and the Maghreb in the new epoch.
The author has the following to say about the specifics of local radicalism: "Religious radicalism
stems from many causes, the most prominent among them being Israeli occupation of Jerusalem
and the unsolved Middle East conflict; the same applies to the American and Israeli threats to
Iran and the invasion of Afghanistan by the United States and its allies...
When writing about the current state of the Russian-Arab humanitarian contacts, the author has
pointed out: "The Friendship Societies resumed, in many respects nominally, their activity in
Russia, the Middle East and North Africa. In 2010, the four-day celebration of the 40th anniver-
sary of the Russia-Morocco Friendship Association was carried in Rabat under patronage of
Mohammad VI, the King of Morocco.
When writing about the "Impacts of the Religious Factor," the concluding chapter of his im-
pressive monograph, the author offered the following opinion: "In the Russian Empire, the re-
ligious component did not greatly affect the Russian-Arab relations despite the jihad against St.
Petersburg declared by the sultan in Istanbul. In the Soviet period, likewise, the religious factor
did not influence the relations between the Soviet Union and the states of the Middle East and
North Africa where the USSR was seen as neutral toward Islam in other countries.
I want to complete my review with another quote: "Russia's potential for the continuing presence
http://interaffairs.ru
Russia and the Arab World