A memorial plaque dedicated to Karim Hakimov, the Soviet Union's first Plenipotentiary Representative to Saudi Arabia, was unveiled today on the building of the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by the Rais of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, who is currently in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on a working visit.
Karim Abdraufovich Hakimov was a distinguished Soviet diplomat and the first plenipotentiary representative of Soviet Russia to the Arab countries, serving from 1924 to 1929 and again from 1936 to 1937. He played a pivotal role in establishing friendly relations between the young Soviet Republic and the Arab-Persian world. During his diplomatic mission, Hakimov forged a personal bond with the founder of the ruling Saudi dynasty, King Abdulaziz ibn Saud, and enjoyed his deep respect. Known widely among the Arab elite and the general public as "The Red Pasha," Hakimov is credited with laying the groundwork for modern Russian-Saudi diplomacy.
During the ceremony, Rustam Minnikhanov expressed his gratitude to the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the staff of the Russian diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia, and Turko Daudov, the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the OIC, for the decision to install the memorial.
"I am confident that the opening of this memorial plaque will serve to further strengthen Russian-Saudi relations and preserve the continuity between generations of our nation's diplomats," Rustam Minnikhanov stated.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Official website of the Rais RT
Based on materials from the Press Service of the Rais RT