These days Jeddah is hosting the annual meeting of the Group of Strategic Vision "Russia - Islamic World". On the eve of the meeting Rustam Minnikhanov, President of the Republic of Tatarstan and Chairman of the Group of Strategic Vision, met with Ramazan Abdulatipov, Russia's Permanent Representative to the OIC. One of the topics touched upon was the sixth meeting of the GSV in Jeddah. It should be noted that it is held here for the first time.
Shortly before the meeting with Chairman Rustam Minnikhanov, Ramazan Abdulatipov participated in the RT channel's program "Russian Dimension". According to the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a special place in the Islamic world. Because it's not only the land of the Prophet Muhammad, but also the place of the two main holy places of the Muslim world. "All the eyes of the world's Muslims, and that's more than a billion people, are on Saudi Arabia. So the fact that we are holding the group's first overseas meeting in this land is of particular significance. In fact, we have to discuss pressing issues in the middle between Mecca and Medina," Abdulatipov stressed.
In recent years, as Ramazan Abdulatipov noted in a conversation with the program host, relations between the Russian Federation and Saudi Arabia have been at a good level. "We remember the official visit of King Salman of Saudi Arabia to Moscow, his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Last year there was a return visit of our president to the KSA. It is noteworthy that the meetings discussed not only the bilateral relations, but also the situation in the modern world. The Russian approach to a multipolar world, where we do not dictate conditions, but take into account the interests of all peoples and states, religious confessions and cultures, is attractive to Saudi Arabia. This world is multinational, multicultural and multiconfessional, just like nature itself. We should take it into account and interact with each other," summed up the Russian Permanent Representative to the OIC.
Mohammed Al-Bishari, Secretary General of the World Muslim Communities Council (WCCM), also took part in the conversation. Jeddah, Al-Bishari noted, is the most appropriate place for uniting all Muslims.
"We are interested in strategic cooperation with Russia, including within the Muslim world. Now, in the new world order being formed, I am sure that Russia and the Islamic world are the two most important players in the international arena. A lot depends on us: how the world will develop further, and how this process will be for the good of all mankind", Mohammed Al-Bishari summed up his speech.
Ilmira Gafiyatullina