02 November 2017
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikhail Bogdanov Spoke about Russia's Middle East Policy

His lecture was arranged today in the Emperor’s Hall.

Before the lecture, which was a part of the National Conference “External Relations of Russian Regions: Experience of the Republic of Tatarstan”, Rector Ilshat Gafurov accompanied the guest at the History Museum and told him about KFU’s long history of international studies. Kazan University was the first in Russia to add Eastern studies to its curriculum and has since been among the leaders in this area. Naturally, such a guest attracted many students today.

Rector Gafurov prefaced the lecture by saying, “I hope that this meeting will turn out to be useful and interesting to you. The topic which Mikhail Leonidovich raises is very pertinent, and you can borrow something for your research and work.”

The Deputy Minister talked about his diplomatic career and unveiled some professional secrets. His work has always dealt with the Middle East, one of the – if not the most – problematic regions of the world. Russia has so far managed to build acceptable relations with most countries of the Middle East. The key, according to the speaker, is the aptitude for constructive dialog and the long-term planning mindset.

Of course, Syrian conflict came up during the discussion. Mr. Bogdanov said that another round of negotiations wrapped up in Astana recently and talked about their effectiveness. According to him, some external participation is useful, but only the Syrian people can decide what their future should look like. That’s why Russia continues to promote the Syrian National Dialog Congress (its meeting is planned for November 18th in Sochi, Russia) while also supporting the Geneva format and the Astana format. Additional negotiation ground can help hear new viewpoints and come to a more fruitful solution.

Students demonstrated their awareness of the international situation and answered many poignant questions.

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