Russia Embraces Muslim World

Russia Embraces Muslim World
Siraj Wahab & Samir Al-Saadi
Arab News

Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiyev shares a light moment with
Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal in Jeddah on Tuesday. (AN photo
by Abdullah Bazuhair)


JEDDAH: Russia renewed its commitment to stronger ties with the
Muslim world, vowing respect for religious values and a stronger
voice for Islamic nations on the global stage at a forum with Muslim
leaders here yesterday.

President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiyev took a friendly dig at all
those who have a habit of blaming Muslims for everything that goes
wrong in the world.

"Thank God, Islam is not being blamed for the global financial
crisis," Shaimiyev said, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of
the fourth meeting of the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group
at the Jeddah Conference Palace.

He said Russia has become a natural partner of the Muslim world. "One
can say that Russia has clearly defined its strategic path in the
Muslim East. It has become a natural partner of the Muslim world," he
said.

Shaimiyev, one of the group's Russian co-chairmen, noted the meeting
is primarily about "restoring the required level of trust and
predictability in our relations, as well as making clear that the
aspiration to develop long-term cooperation with the Islamic world is
not just a politically expedient issue for Russia ."

Tatarstan is one of the republics of the Russian Federation .
Shaimiyev said there is mutual interest in developing cooperation
between Russia and Muslim countries.

"One should bear in mind the fact that a strategic partnership with
Russia, which seeks a multi-polar world order and does not encroach
on values, traditions, authenticity or sovereignty of countries of
the Muslim East, is very important for Muslim countries as well," he
said.

" Russia always occupied a special place in the Islamic world. In
Soviet times, global problems were not solved without Russia . Today,
the situation has changed and it is necessary to direct affairs using
the intellect rather than weapons as it used to be. Tatars have a
proverb: `The one who is strong will beat one, and the one who is
clever will beat a thousand.' Our age is an epoch of rivalry of wits
and modern technologies," Shaimiyev added.

"During the years of Perestroika , Russia 's positions in the Islamic
world considerably weakened. Now the role of Russia has grown
noticeably ... This will certainly positively affect the influence of
the Islamic factor on world politics," Shaimeyev added.

The forum is being organized by the Saudi Foreign Ministry and is
specifically discussing Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King
Abdullah's initiative for interfaith and intercultural dialogue.

In an address from Russian President Dmitry Medvedev read by
Shaimiyev at the event, Medvedev wholeheartedly supported King
Abdullah's initiative.

"Russia, a country with observer status in the Organization of the
Islamic Conference, intends to abide firmly to its course to expand
active interaction with the Islamic world. In this connection, I
think a broad discussion of the initiative to further develop
interregional dialogue proposed by King Abdullah is of crucial
importance," he said.

"I am also convinced that the implementation of the Russia-proposed
idea of forming a consultative council of religions under the UN
aegis will help strengthen the moral principles of world politics,
facilitate deeper interconfessional communication and, in a broader
context, promote the dialogue of civilizations," the Russian
president wrote.

"The illusion of the unipolar world is becoming a thing of the past
in front of our eyes. This strategic forum can contribute
significantly to the search for ways to make the situation in the
world healthier and to attain a new level of global partnership,"
Medvedev wrote. "I am convinced that Russia 's active interaction
with the Islamic world will help build a fairer system of
international relations, where the factor of force will finally stop
playing the role of a universal instrument to settle all emerging
problems," he said.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nizar Obaid Madani said: "We
highly appreciate Russia 's interest in the development of long-term
and multifaceted cooperation with the Islamic world."

The president of Tatarstan later called on Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled
Al-Faisal at the Makkah Governorate on Madinah Road . "You look very
much like your late father, King Faisal," Shaimeyev told Prince
Khaled.

During the course of his discussion with the governor, Shaimiyev
reminisced about King Faisal's visit to Russia in the 1960s. He also
presented the governor with a CD highlighting that visit.

The Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group was created in 2006
as an advisory body to increase cooperation in all fields between
Russia and Islamic countries.

The meeting in Jeddah concludes today.

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