Aleksandr Avdeyev (politician)

Aleksandr Alekseyevich Avdeyev (Russian: Александр Алексеевич Авдеев; born 8 September 1946 in Kremenchuk, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic) is a Russian and Soviet politician and diplomat. He was the Ambassador of the Soviet Union to Luxembourg from 1987 to 1990, the Russian Ambassador to Bulgaria from 1992 to 1996 and the Ambassador of Russia to France from 2002 to 2008.[1][2] He later served as the Minister of Culture from 2008 to 2012.[3][4]

Aleksandr Avdeyev

Since January 2013, he is the Ambassador of Russia to the Holy See and to the Sovereign Order of Malta.[5][6]

Career

Minister of Culture

On 26 January 2010 he met with Vladimir Putin (then the Prime Minister of Russia) to discuss reconstruction of various Russian theatres, especially Bolshoi Theatre so that it will be ready for the 150th anniversary of notable Russian writer Anton Chekhov. During the meeting with he also discussed circus system and various ways on how to acquire Russian cultural pieces from abroad.[7]

On 19 November 2010 he met with French Minister of Culture Frederic Mitterrand with whom he discussed the foundation of joint Russian and French Film Academy of Motion Picture Arts.[8] On 6 July 2011 he spoke at State Duma during the question time where he suggested to expand state law regarding Russian monuments.[9][10]

On 11 March 2012 he assured Vladimir Putin that he almost completed remodeling of Pushkin Museum and the same day issued a concern that Literary Fund did not have enough financing to remodel all Peredelkino museums. During the same meeting he mentioned that he and Olga Okudzhava agreed on building a museum for her deceased husband and bard Bulat Okudzhava. He also mentioned that as of now the ministry is rebuilding museums in Tsarskoye Selo, Saransk as well as Vladikavkaz and is nearly completed reconstruction of Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater and the second complex of the Mariinsky Theatre.[11]

Controversies

On 13 January 2013 he proclaimed the Schneersohn Library to be "the unalienable property of Russia" urging to ignore the decisions of American courts of returning the collection to Library of Agudas Chassidei Chabad as "provocative".[12]

References
  1. Biography at the official site of the Russian government
  2. Экс-министр культуры Авдеев стал послом в Ватикане [Former Minister of Culture Avdeev became ambassador to the Vatican]. Vedomosti (in Russian). 14 January 2013. Archived from the original on 12 June 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  3. "Interview with the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, Alexander Avdeyev". The Moscow Times. 26 May 2014. Archived from the original on 26 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  4. Александр Авдеев назначен послом России в Ватикане [Alexander Avdeyev appointed Russian ambassador to the Vatican] (in Russian). 14 January 2013. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  5. "Avdeyev nominated as Russian Ambassador to the Vatican". Voice of Russia. 14 January 2013. Archived from the original on 26 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  6. Nina Achmatova (14 January 2013). "Putin appoints ex Culture minister as new ambassador to the Holy See". AsiaNews. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  7. "Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with Minister of Culture Alexander Avdeyev". 26 January 2010. Archived from the original on 26 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  8. "Russia And France Create Academy of Motion Picture Arts". Russian Film.biz. 19 November 2010. Archived from the original on 26 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  9. Министр культуры РФ А.Авдеев выступил в Госдуме в рамках "правительственного часа" [Culture Minister Avdeyev made a remark during the State Duma's "question time"] (in Russian). State Duma. 6 July 2011. Archived from the original on 26 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  10. Функции Росохранкультуры не прекращаются – Авдеев [Works by Rosokhrankultura won't stop - Avdeyev] (in Russian). United Russia. 6 July 2011. Archived from the original on 26 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  11. "Vladimir Putin meets with Minister of Culture Alexander Avdeyev". 11 March 2012. Archived from the original on 26 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  12. "Russian culture minister slams US claims to sacred Jewish books". Moscow. RIA Novosti. 13 January 2013. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
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