MOSCOW, June 18. /TASS/. Russia’s ties with the Islamic world are growing stronger and no one can break them, Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) Salim AlMalik said in an exclusive interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman.
"We enjoy a very distinguished relationship with Russia. And that is embedded in many activities that we have. We value these relationships. Russia is a great country, it has a lot of history, culture, heritage. There is a lot in common between the Islamic world and Russia," the official noted, adding that it is impossible to break this relationship.
"We have been communicating, collaborating. We attend many activities, many conferences. We have established also stronger relationships," AlMalik said, adding that there is an Arab language department at the Russian Islamic University. According to him, it is important for any international organization to have strong academic ties.
He also talked about his participation in the latest session of the Russia-Islamic World strategic vision group in Kazan where he met with a number of Russian officials. "We discussed our relationship and I felt that there is very much of the great appreciation of what we are doing," AlMalik said, adding that the feeling is mutual.
"We just focus on our mandate which is education, science and culture. And we build a stronger relationship through our national commission," the director general stressed, adding that the ICESCO’s goal is opening 100 departments at various universities and establishing scholarships for students and researchers.
On May 8-12, 1979, a conference of foreign ministers from Islamic countries held in Fes, Morocco, made a decision to establish the ICESCO. Russia has observer status in this organization.