ALEXEY VASILIEV, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Often, a person who has done a lot in his life and has risen to great heights, by old age becomes a monument to himself. He no longer speaks, but utters, does not walk, but carries himself, does not come anywhere, but appears, perceives someone else's opinion or someone else's logic with a grin, and more often simply dismisses it.

Academician Yevgeny Maksimovich Primakov is not like that.

I categorically state, including on the basis of my own experience: he did not turn pink, although he reached the top in any of his chosen fields of activity - politics, science, literature.

His place in politics is not even discussed. It is unlikely that it can be evaluated more succinctly than V. V. Putin did at a friendly meeting on the occasion of the previous anniversary - Primakov's 80th birthday, saying: "Russia has repeatedly found itself on the edge of a precipice in its history. But there were always Primakovs who pushed it away from this edge. This was the main role played by Evgeny Maksimovich in the history of Russia." Do I need to add anything?

This was in the recent past. But to this day, Primakov expresses opinions and assessments concerning the fate of Russia, which are carefully studied and discussed.

I will stop at the place of Evgeny Maksimovich in our workshop of Orientalists and Middle Eastern scholars. He has written two dozen books, not to mention countless articles. But of all of them, I would single out the unique "Confidential: The Middle East on Stage and behind the scenes"*. It has gone through two editions and been translated into a dozen languages. There was no such book, and there will never be, because the author was a participant in the main political events of the region for several decades. He personally knew the biggest Arab leaders of the era. In the book, he combined scientific knowledge with an understanding of human psychology, the Arab and Israeli mentality, taking into account the multi-variant development of events. He gave realistic and at the same time vivid literary portraits of such leaders as Saddam Hussein, Yasser Arafat, Hafiz al-Assad, Menachem Begin, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Anwar Sadat and many others.

Primakov's abilities as a strong analyst were already evident in his first newspaper correspondences. Therefore, his path to scientific heights was direct and logical. The ability to direct situational analyses that are important for the implementation of a country's foreign policy was shown in the academic sphere, in the Foreign Intelligence Service, and again in the system of the Department of Global Problems and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

But I deliberately emphasize that in his scientific research, in his estimates and forecasts, which, by the way, go far beyond the Middle East region, Primakov was "not bronzed". They are open to discussion and are willing to listen carefully and delicately to other opinions, even if they do not coincide with their own. He is ready to argue and clarify his positions, if on the basis of competence, facts and logic, someone else can note those aspects of the problem that he did not take into account or did not know.

What is striking is the enthusiasm and dedication of a person who is interested in events with a young energy - in this case, the Middle East. Personal impressions: January 2011; we are in Washington for a meeting with American experts on the region. The wave of revolutions that just swept away Tunisian dictator Ben Ali has arrived in Egypt and is raging in Al-Tahrir Square. So Primakov, in a young way, promptly contacts Rossiyskaya Gazeta and writes his commentary on these events, in which he anticipates a lot. Not only that, he pre-shows this comment to me and gratefully accepts a couple of small comments.

The caliber of a person, a scientist, a politician, open to the world, open to discussion, respecting the opinions of others, does not decrease from such gestures, but grows.

And one more feature of Primakov. In his writings, he avoids harsh characterizations of people, including his opponents, and even, as far as I know, his personal enemies, and never uses a pen to denigrate anyone. Thus, he rises above them.

No one ever questioned his high personal integrity. Naturally, the former Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service, head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences ensured a decent life for himself and his family. But even during the period of fierce political battles, no one dared to reproach and did not reproach Primakov for "making money out of stone" at the expense of his official position. No dirt of corruption, so widespread, unfortunately, at all levels of our political establishment, Primakov did not get dirty.

Overcoming age, illness, and fatigue, Evgeny Maksimovich remains for us, Orientalists, a playing coach. I wish it would be longer!..

As for the bronze monuments, this is a matter of the future. There will be monuments.

* Primakov E. M. Confidential: Middle East on stage and behind the scenes (second half of XX - beginning of XXI century). 2nd ed., reprint. Moscow, Rossiyskaya Gazeta. 2012, 414 p., fig. (editor's note).

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