On May 16, 2011, the section of Kurdish Studies and Regional Problems of the Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences held the second Lazarev Readings dedicated to the memory of the famous Russian historian and Kurdish scholar, Doctor of Historical Sciences M. S. Lazarev. It was opened by V. Ya. Belokrenitsky, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors. Director of the Institute and head of the Center, who in his speech noted the great contribution to Oriental studies of M. S. Lazarev, a scientist and a general specialist. He also stressed the importance of developing a new tradition of holding an annual conference on Kurdish studies, as one of the traditional areas of complex Oriental studies. The result of this work has already become a collection of articles "Lazarev Readings", and this initiative attracted the participation of Kurdish scholars not only in Moscow, but also in St. Petersburg, as well as in Armenia.
The conference was opened by the report of the Head of the Department. Department of Kurdish Studies and Regional Problems of O. I. Zhigalina, who spoke about the history of the emergence of this science in Russia and the stages of its development in the Soviet and post-Soviet times. Despite the fact that information about the Kurds first appeared in the works of foreign authors during the period of increasing European colonial expansion in the East, the first serious research on Kurdish studies was undertaken by Russian scientists. Almost simultaneously, both fundamental and applied areas in Kurdish studies were born and began to develop, which established itself in the recognized status of an independent Oriental specialty. The Russian Academy of Sciences and the University of St. Petersburg laid the foundations for the study of the Kurds and their country, and began teaching and studying them.
The most valuable monuments of Kurdish culture, history, and literature were published in the Kurdish language in its literary and dialect forms. Russian scientists and the Russian Academy of Sciences, which became the organizing center for the study of the history, ethnography, language and literature of the Kurdish people in the second half of the 19th century, have made a great contribution to the publication of monuments of Kurdish writing and the study of Kurdistan and Kurds. O. I. Zhigalina described the main stages of the development of Russian Kurdish studies in the Soviet period, noting that it maintained a leading position in world science. In the Soviet Union, there were three centers for the study of Kurds and Kurdistan - in St. Petersburg, Yerevan and Moscow, whose scientists worked closely together and created important collective works. They were initiated by M. S. Lazarev, along with other reputable scientists-M. A. Gasratyan and Sh. K. Mgoi. In the post-Soviet period, these connections were lost, but the centers remained.
This topic was continued in the report of Z. A. Yusupova, a major specialist in the study of Kurdish dialectology and written monuments from the St. Petersburg Institute of Oriental Manuscripts. She stressed the importance of taking into account the territorial division of native Kurdish speakers when determining its dialect composition. Linguists recognize several dialects of the Kurdish language, but there is no single classification due to different criteria. In some cases, the names of Kurdish tribes are taken as the basis, in others - the name of the area where they live, etc. However, most linguists believe that there are four main dialects in the Kurdish language: Kurmanji (northern), Sorani, Zaza and Gorani (southern), which are unevenly spread across the territory of ethnic Kurdistan. She noted that since the mid-19th century, the St. Petersburg school has paid great attention to the study of the first two dialects and the publication of Kurdish texts. Important contributions were made by P. I. Lerkh, V. Dittel and A. Zhab, as well as I. A. Berezin, representatives of the Soviet linguistic school in Leningrad, Yerevan, Tbilisi and Moscow. Scientific studies, grammars, and Kurdish-Russian and Russian-Kurdish dictionaries were written and published. A number of works were devoted to the comparative analysis of Kurdish dialects and dialects.
A.D. Mamoyan (Tambov) spoke about the peculiarities of grammatical categories of nouns and adjectives in the Kurdish and Russian languages. The speaker tried to prove that in the Kurdish language possessive-genitive relations are expressed not by means of an isafet, but by means of particle words, which are morphemes. When combined with a noun, they show their gender, number, and grammatical meaning (definiteness). They are, in the author's opinion, definite articles that correspond to the word-forming affixes of adjectives of the Russian language.
A. I. Kolesnikov's presentation (IVR RAS) was devoted to the analysis of the process of Christianization of Kurds in the V-VII centuries AD based on Syrian sources. The scholar noted that when studying Arabic-language sources, he found fragmentary information about the Christianization of the Kurds, which is difficult to generalize. Meanwhile, they are of undoubted scientific interest. The analysis of toponymy allowed him to determine the area of settlement of the Kurdish Christian population, which was quite extensive. In the manuscripts of Syriac authors of the sixth century. they found a chronological account of the history of the reign of 20 bishops. In addition, the manuscript "Acts of Martyrs and Saints" refers to the clergy who were engaged in the Christianization of the Kurds. In particular, he spoke about the martyr Sava of Khulvan, who came from an aristocratic Iranian Zoroastrian family. His father was an adherent of Mazdakism and served as a governor, and his mother favored Christians. Savva persuaded his mother to convert to Christianity and enter a monastery. He died in 487. The speaker also gave other interesting examples of the baptism of Kurds by hermits, told about the foundation of Christian monasteries, of which there were several hundred. Often the fire-worshippers changed their names, accepting Christianity, but often left; there were Christians with Iranian names-all this is evidenced in the "Lives of the Martyrs".
The problem of cultural and historical development of the Kurds was continued in the report of B. Khalatyan (IVR RAS). She analyzed the history, economy, and culture of Diarbakir, an area of compact settlement of Turkish Kurds. The researcher noted the important role of the Bakri and Rabia tribes in the ethnogenesis of the Kurds of this region, which was mentioned, in particular, in the works of M. S. Lazarev and other authors. They believed that the Kurds were the Autochthons of northern Mesopotamia. Indeed, in her opinion, the territory of the Diarbakir region was an area of meeting and interaction of various cultures and peoples. Transit trade was actively developed there (important caravan routes from Europe to Asia ran), and cultural ties were maintained.
and economic ties with Armenia and Syria. The area was the breadbasket of Turkish Kurdistan, as agriculture flourished there. It was also notable for its confessional and ethnic diversity. Many Christians (Armenians and Assyrians) lived here, whose ancestors were hiding in the Diarbakir region from the Muslim invaders. However, neither the Iranian nor Arabic medieval sources available to the author indicate the number of Christian communities. At the same time, the population of this region was quite prosperous, since it drew its income from transit trade. Currently, B. Khalatyan noted, Diarbakir has been preserved not only as a cultural and historical center of Turkish Kurdistan, but also as a center of active political life of Turkish Kurds.
Then the participants of the conference were offered a demonstration of the film" We need happiness", shot by the film crew of Lenfilm, directed by A. Sokurov and N. Yankovsky in Iraqi Kurdistan. This film showed the hard life of ordinary Kurds and told about the fate of a Russian woman who married a Barzanist in Moscow and followed him to Iraqi Kurdistan in 1959.
The conference continued with reports on the economic and political problems of ethnic Kurdistan.
N. Z. Mosaki (IV RAS) focused on the analysis of the role of Turkish Kurdistan in the Turkish economy in the late XIX-early XX centuries. He noted the uneven economic development of the western and northern parts of the area of compact residence of Turkish Kurds. In underdeveloped areas, the greatest influence of the Kurdish political opposition is observed. Such a district is, for example, Urfa. The economic development of Eastern Anatolia is generally below the Turkish average, and the Kurdish population is being marginalized. The speaker emphasized that this region is the most backward in the Middle East region. The main investments come from the state, while private ones are mainly invested in urban development. After the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq and the formation of the Kurdistan region of the Federal State of Iraq, trade and economic ties between Eastern Anatolia and Iraqi Kurdistan strengthened. The expert gave specific figures illustrating the uneven economic development of the west, center and south of Turkish Kurdistan, generally noting the high level of unemployment, budget deficit and low level of competitiveness of manufactured products. The speaker considered the reasons for the region's backwardness, as well as noted the growth factors. In conclusion, N. Z. Mosaki concluded that there is a need for a comprehensive solution to the Kurdish problem.
The topic of economic development was continued by G. I. Starchenkov (IB RAS), who focused on the importance of the development of the oil and gas sector for the socio-economic growth of Iraqi Kurdistan. He noted that the huge oil and gas reserves of the Kurdistan region of Iraq form the basis of its economy. The Kurdistan authorities are thinking about developing the pipeline network and are planning to participate in the Nabucco project. However, recently the head of the Nabucco concern said that the construction of this pipeline is postponed for two years. This, obviously, may not have the best effect on the ambitions of the Kurds. In addition, the situation of oil and gas prices on the world market has a certain impact on the oil-producing industry of Iraqi Kurdistan. He noted, in particular, that events in the Middle East have an impact on the purchase and transportation of oil and gas in the region as a whole. The dependence of the oil and gas sector on the political climate in the region contributes to the development of alternative energy sources (solar, wind, etc.), which can also be developed in Kurdistan, where there are no oil refineries. The transition to new types of energy, according to the expert, will contribute to the development of associated industries (petrochemical, pharmaceutical, etc.).
The main focus of the report of the Academic Secretary of Yerevan State University V. S. Petrosyan was focused on the problem of relations between Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan in the context of regional security. The speaker noted the growing level of "Kurdish identity", which, in his opinion, is reflected in an increase in the level of school education, the acquisition by the Kurdistan region of Iraq of the attributes of independence (anthem, flag, calendar, etc.), as well as the development of socio-economic infrastructure. The Kurdistan regional government has demonstrated its ability to manage the region independently since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime, which is determined by positive changes in the socio-economic field. At the same time, it actively conducts foreign policy activities and tries to maintain favorable relations with its neighbors. The expert noted the activity of the policy
Turkey in Iraqi Kurdistan, which is aimed at maintaining political forces loyal to the Turkish leadership there and in northern Iraq as a whole. These include, for example, the Turkomans, whose support Turkey seeks to weaken the position of the Kurds in a number of disputed territories in northern Iraq.
V. O. Petrosyan also analyzed other levers of influence in Iraqi Kurdistan with the aim of political and economic strengthening of Turkey there. This includes lobbying for the Nabucco project, attracting investors in Iraqi Kurdistan that are beneficial to Turkey, interfering in the political processes taking place in Iraq, and so on.The Turkish leadership also has military leverage, since Turkey has retained the right to deploy a military contingent of "observers" on Iraqi territory, which should monitor the truce. Their number is approximately 2 thousand people. Therefore, according to the expert, the threat of a military invasion remains for Iraq, especially in the event of the declaration of independence of Kurdistan and the annexation of Kirkuk to it. Among the ideological levers of influence, the speaker called the strengthening of Gulen's Islamic influence among Iraqi Kurds. He also described the relationship of the political parties of the Iraqi Kurds (DIK and PUK) with the PKK. In conclusion, V. A. Petrosyan noted that Turkey's strategic goal is to preserve stability, prevent the settlement of the problem of disputed territories in the interests of the Iraqi Kurds and promote clashes between the main political trends in Iraqi Kurdistan.
K. V. Vertyaev (Institute of History of the Russian Academy of Sciences) considered the problem of "Kurdism" as a phenomenon of the political culture of the Kurds of Turkey, linking this topic with the 2011 parliamentary elections. On the eve of this event, the solution of the Kurdish problem, which is used by various political forces in the election campaign, was particularly relevant. The Turkish leadership, trying to implement certain reforms in Turkish Kurdistan, strongly opposes the development of trends that can lead to the separation of the area of settlement of Turkish Kurds. The expert noted that there is no possibility and basis for creating self-government bodies, there are no alternative ways to solve the Kurdish problem, except for a unitary one. He also spoke about the contradictory personality of A. Ocalan, the PKK leader who seeks to become a legitimate political figure, as well as the position of the Kurdish bloc (political coalition) of ethnic communities and other parties and organizations on the eve of the elections. K. Vertyaev noted that Turkish analysts closely monitor the state of the Kurdish national movement. If earlier "Kurdism" was associated exclusively with the PKK's activity, now it is considered from different points of view. Discussions on the Kurdish issue are very positive, as they are aimed at overcoming inter-ethnic distrust in Turkish society. The speaker noted the activity of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party in the election campaign, which has a chance to create a Kurdish faction in the new Turkish parliament. He believes that the elections demonstrate the" independence " of the Kurds, their concept of "homeland" is transformed into the concept of "Northern Kurdistan" and they advocate for its cultural and administrative independence, as well as the transformation of the state structure into a federation following the example of Iraq.
T. Manukyan (Institute of Oriental Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia) spoke about the activities of the PKK in the 80-90s of the XX century. She described the position of the Turkish leadership aimed at forcing the Kurds to obey the laws and respect state policy. However, this course, in her opinion, led to the deprivation of Kurds of their civil and national rights. After analyzing the PKK's political and ideological platform, she focused on ways to implement its goals and objectives. The armed struggle of the fighters of this organization led to heavy casualties, and many of its functionaries ended up in prisons. Acts of protest against the actions of the Turkish authorities were cases of self-immolation of PKK members in the 1980s. T. Manukyan came to the conclusion that there is no alternative to resolving the Kurdish issue, except for holding peace talks between the forces of the Kurdish national movement and the Turkish leadership.
In her closing remarks, O. I. Zhigalina stressed the importance of cooperation between various centers of Kurdish studies and attracting scientists and specialists interested in its development as an integrated field of Oriental studies. She invited all participants of the conference to participate in the compilation of a new collection of reports presented at the second "Lazarev Readings".
New publications: |
Popular with readers: |
News from other countries: |
![]() |
Editorial Contacts |
About · News · For Advertisers |
![]() 2020-2025, BIBLIO.UZ is a part of Libmonster, international library network (open map) Keeping the heritage of Uzbekistan |