Mikhail Bogdanov (diplomat)

Mikhail Bogdanov in 2018

Mikhail Leonidovich Bogdanov (born 2 March 1952 in Moscow) is a Russian diplomat.

Biography

Mikhail Bogdanov graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) in 1974.[1]

Mikhail Bogdanov served as the Soviet ambassador to South Yemen from 1974 to 1977, to Lebanon from 1977 to 1980, to Syria from 1983 to 1989, to Syria from 1991 to 1994, Israel from 1997 to 2002, and Egypt, and was concurrently Representative to the Arab League from 2005 to 2011.[1] A 1994 leaked cable written by Bogdanov and published by Wikileaks revealed that the Russian diplomacy was completely clueless on the aftermath of the deadly accident of Bassel al-Assad.[2]

Richard Gott, a journalist at The Guardian, publically admitted he maintained relations with KGB agents, Mikhail Bogdanov being his main contact starting in 1983.[3] According to Gott, Bogdanov would reward him for his friendliness towards the Russians with payments of 600 pounds hidden in cheap wallets passed discreetly during their meetings.[4]

Mikhail Bogdanov was appointed director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department of Middle East and North African from 2002 to 2005. He served as Deputy Foreign Minister since June 2011, Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East since 23 January 2012, and Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa since October 2014.[1] In a November 2015 news conference, Mikhail Bogdanov declared that Russia did not consider the Hezbollah a terrorist organization, since it never committed any terrorist acts on Russian soils, and maintained a legitimate presence in the Lebanese government.[5] During the Syrian Civil War, he played the middleman between the Syrian government and the Syrian opposition based in Turkey.[6]

He speaks fluently in Arabic and English. He was married and has a son.[7]

Awards

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "BOGDANOV Mikhail Leonidovich". Ministry of Foreign Affairs Russia. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  2. ↑ "Mikhail Bogdanov and the Syrian Black Box". Carnegie-mec.org. 18 March 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  3. ↑ Paul Gould (9 December 1994). "UK journalist quits over KGB contacts". Upi.com. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  4. ↑ Alasdair Palmer (10 December 1994). "How the KGB ran The Guardian". Spectator.co.uk. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  5. ↑ "Russia Says Hezbollah Not a Terrorist Group: Report". Ndtv.com. 16 November 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  6. ↑ "Senior Russian Diplomat to Meet Bashar al-Assad in Damascus: Reports". Ndtv.com. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  7. ↑ IBP, Inc (28 July 2015). Russian Federal Government: Strategic Information and Contact. Lulu.com. p. 200. ISBN 9781329416628.


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