Georgiy Enverovich Mamedov
Encyclopedia
Georgiy Enverovich Mamedov (born 1947 in Moscow
, USSR) is a Russian diplomat, and one of Russia
's foremost authorities on the United States
and Canada
. Since the early 1990s, he has been his country's chief interlocutor with the United States on such subjects as NATO, arms control
and Kosovo
.
. His father, Enver Nazimovich Mamedov
, had been a diplomat for a few years, and was to spend most of his later career working for the Soviet mass media in a variety of positions, including that of the Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Radio and Television
in 1962-1985, directly in charge of Soviet television from 1970 to 1985.
Georgiy Mamedov graduated in 1970 from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. He then joined the Institute for U.S.A. and Canada Studies in 1970 and became a protégé of the institute's founder, Georgi Arbatov, the leading Soviet specialist on the United States
at the time.
After entering diplomatic service in 1972, Mamedov was posted at the Soviet Embassy in Washington
from 1972 to 1973 and again from 1977 to 1981. While in Washington from 1977 to 1981 he impressed the Americans, who called him "George," but he was also suspected of working with the KGB
.
In 1989-90, Mamedov served as the first deputy director, in 1990-91, the director, of the USA and Canada Desk of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the USSR.
In 1991, Mamedov became Russia's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of the relationship with the countries of the Americas, and occupied this position until 2003. In June 2003, he was appointed as Ambassador of Russia to Canada.
It often fell to Mamedov to smooth over the thorniest Russia-USA disputes. He helped persuade Washington to proceed with NATO expansion slowly, and reassured the Americans when President Boris Yeltsin
sent tanks to besiege the Russian parliament during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis. He helped broker a deal under which Ukraine
gave up all the nuclear weapons it had inherited after the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Alexander Vershbow
, a former U.S. ambassador to Moscow, first met Mamedov in the 1980s; Vershbow describes Mamedov as "a real problem solver, somebody who's always defended their interests quite aggressively—and volubly—but has been a good partner. Every U.S. ambassador who's dealt with him has found him to be a guy who could get things done."
Georgiy Mamedov holds a Ph.D.
in history and speaks English and Swedish in addition to Russian. He is married and has two adult children, a son and daughter.
, this will be a tragic error from the side of the U.S.A.... Russia categorically rejects any ultimatums regarding Iraq.... In Russia we consider that Iraq constitutes neither a threat to the U.S.A, nor to the international community
, nor to its neighbors.... Russia will not participate in a campaign of pressure or threats, directed at changing the regime in Iraq." When asked what Russia would do if there were a U.S. military operation, Mamedov replied: "Russia will not launch an anti-American campaign, but will try its utmost to return the situation to a proper legal basis. We will not gloat over a tragic mistake by the United States."
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, USSR) is a Russian diplomat, and one of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
's foremost authorities on the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Since the early 1990s, he has been his country's chief interlocutor with the United States on such subjects as NATO, arms control
Arms control
Arms control is an umbrella term for restrictions upon the development, production, stockpiling, proliferation, and usage of weapons, especially weapons of mass destruction...
and Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
.
Biography
Georgiy Mamedov was born on September 9, 1947 in MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. His father, Enver Nazimovich Mamedov
Enver Nazimovich Mamedov
Enver Nazim oglu Mammadov , is a former Soviet diplomat and a mass media manager...
, had been a diplomat for a few years, and was to spend most of his later career working for the Soviet mass media in a variety of positions, including that of the Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Radio and Television
Radio in the Soviet Union
All-Union Radio was the radio broadcasting organisation for the USSR from 1924 until the dissolution of the USSR...
in 1962-1985, directly in charge of Soviet television from 1970 to 1985.
Georgiy Mamedov graduated in 1970 from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. He then joined the Institute for U.S.A. and Canada Studies in 1970 and became a protégé of the institute's founder, Georgi Arbatov, the leading Soviet specialist on the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at the time.
After entering diplomatic service in 1972, Mamedov was posted at the Soviet Embassy in Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
from 1972 to 1973 and again from 1977 to 1981. While in Washington from 1977 to 1981 he impressed the Americans, who called him "George," but he was also suspected of working with the KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
.
In 1989-90, Mamedov served as the first deputy director, in 1990-91, the director, of the USA and Canada Desk of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the USSR.
In 1991, Mamedov became Russia's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of the relationship with the countries of the Americas, and occupied this position until 2003. In June 2003, he was appointed as Ambassador of Russia to Canada.
It often fell to Mamedov to smooth over the thorniest Russia-USA disputes. He helped persuade Washington to proceed with NATO expansion slowly, and reassured the Americans when President Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
sent tanks to besiege the Russian parliament during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis. He helped broker a deal under which Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
gave up all the nuclear weapons it had inherited after the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Alexander Vershbow
Alexander Vershbow
Alexander Russell "Sandy" Vershbow is an American Assistant Secretary of Defense and diplomat.Until October 2008, he was the United States Ambassador to South Korea; he was appointed to the position in October 2005. Before that post he had been the ambassador to the Russian Federation from 2001 to...
, a former U.S. ambassador to Moscow, first met Mamedov in the 1980s; Vershbow describes Mamedov as "a real problem solver, somebody who's always defended their interests quite aggressively—and volubly—but has been a good partner. Every U.S. ambassador who's dealt with him has found him to be a guy who could get things done."
Georgiy Mamedov holds a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in history and speaks English and Swedish in addition to Russian. He is married and has two adult children, a son and daughter.
Views on the Iraq war
Prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Mamedov declared in an interview with ITAR-TASS that the United States was making a "tragic error": "If Washington decides to ignore the UN Security Council, to violate the UN Charter and invade IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, this will be a tragic error from the side of the U.S.A.... Russia categorically rejects any ultimatums regarding Iraq.... In Russia we consider that Iraq constitutes neither a threat to the U.S.A, nor to the international community
International community
The international community is a term used in international relations to refer to all peoples, cultures and governments of the world or to a group of them. The term is used to imply the existence of common duties and obligations between them...
, nor to its neighbors.... Russia will not participate in a campaign of pressure or threats, directed at changing the regime in Iraq." When asked what Russia would do if there were a U.S. military operation, Mamedov replied: "Russia will not launch an anti-American campaign, but will try its utmost to return the situation to a proper legal basis. We will not gloat over a tragic mistake by the United States."
