Evgeny Maksimovich Primakov is one of those people who happily combine talent and remarkable personal qualities. This is a bright, brave, intelligent person, a brilliant politician and scientist, for whom friendship, responsibility, honor have always meant a lot. His name has gone down in the history of our country. Yevgeny Primakov is known as a statesman who held high positions, including the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister of the Government of the Russian Federation; as an academician, a prominent scientist, a specialist in international relations and economic problems; as a skilled administrator who is able to achieve success in any field.

Nevertheless, for the staff of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, it is particularly significant that for a number of years, from 1977 to 1985, Evgeny Maksimovich was the director of the Institute.

E. M. Primakov came to the Institute at a difficult time when, due to objective and subjective circumstances, the Institute was pushed into the background by the younger scientific institutions of the Academy of Sciences and did not have any serious impact on the political decision-making process. Although, in general, the influence of the scientific community on policy has always been indirect, nevertheless, expert assessments have played an important role. A highly professional team with unique knowledge of the East (history, economy, culture, peculiarities of local societies) was not sufficiently in demand, and modern research was not considered a priority at the Institute.

Having become a director, Evgeny Maksimovich managed to radically change the situation in the shortest possible time. The Institute, while preserving the traditional cycle and complex nature of Oriental studies, simultaneously began to work for political practice, which was of particular importance in an era when the interests of the state were largely connected with the development of relations with the leading powers of the East - India, China, and the Arab countries.

It is important to emphasize that the research team headed by the director did not seek to justify from a scientific point of view any step taken by the management. On the contrary, the goal was to save the country from mistakes, to prevent the most serious consequences of incorrect assessments. Defending national interests, the Institute had its own point of view on a number of major international issues.

The Primakov Institute of Oriental Studies was working on fundamental research. The article analyzes the features of postcolonial development of Eastern countries, the role of Islam at the present stage, the correlation and synthesis of tradition and modernity in Eastern societies, conflicts, socio-economic models of development of Eastern states. The scientific life of the Institute was revived; discussions of the most important scientific topics and major directions at the meetings of the Academic Council became regular, numerous seminars, conferences, and international forums were held.

Evgeny Maksimovich always tried to introduce effective modern methods of scientific research, which led to the emergence of such forms of work as situational analyses, brainstorming, etc.

In general, we can say that E. M. Primakov radically changed the scientific activity of the Institute, gave it a dynamic and modern sound, which was so lacking, and ensured the high authority of the institute in the country and abroad. We have to admit that these profound transformations were not carried out easily. There was resistance both from the authorities in power and from the most conservative part of the staff, especially those whose qualifications did not allow them to meet the new high requirements. A distinctive feature of E. M. Primakov-director was that he supported talented people, gave young people the opportunity to realize themselves. He was always demanding, principled and sometimes firmly defended his position, but at the same time carefully listened to other opinions and did not consider it shameful to agree with the opponent, recognizing his arguments as convincing.

Finally, I must mention the attitude of Evgeny Maksimovich to people. No matter what positions he occupied, no matter what trials fate prepared for him, he was always attentive to other people's grief, always tried to help solve complex problems, found words of comfort and support, was ready to shield scientists from the wrath of the leadership, accustomed to operating with rigid ideological categories and refusing to accept non-standard approaches.

The staff of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences is proud of the fact that E. M. Primakov headed the Institute, and those who happened to work with him still consider this period of their life to be the most interesting and fruitful.

Dear Evgeny Maksimovich, we all love and appreciate you very much. We wholeheartedly wish you to stay young and cheerful, write new books, work hard, maintain your sense of humor and enjoy life.

STAFF OF THE INSTITUTE OF ORIENTAL STUDIES OF THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES EDITORIAL BOARD OF THE MAGAZINE "BOCTOK / ORIENS"

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