H.E. Mr. Albert P. Khorev (Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Pakistan)
A seasoned Russian diplomat Mr. Albert P. Khorev, born in 1979, began his career in 2002 after graduating from the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Moscow State University. He later completed his studies at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia in 2011. He joined the diplomatic service in 2002. With extensive experience in Afghanistan, he served at the Russian Embassy from 2004 to 2008 and as Minister-Counsellor from 2018 to 2020. Since 2020, he has held the position of Deputy Director of the Second Department for Asia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is fluent in English, Dari, Pashto, and Persian and holds the diplomatic rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, First Class. Mr. Khorev is married with a daughter and a son.
What inspired you to become an Ambassador to Pakistan, and what goals did you set for yourself upon taking on this role?
Ever since I was a student, I have always dreamed of becoming a diplomat, as I strived to defend the interests of my beloved Motherland and my people. My entire career is inextricably linked with Asia. Before coming to Pakistan, I was tasked with Afghanistan within the Foreign Ministry of Russia, including more than 7 years that I have spent in that country. Almost one year ago, the leadership of the Russian Foreign Ministry offered me the post of Ambassador to Pakistan. I gladly accepted it, knowing that my experience and expertise will help promote friendly and mutually beneficial relations between Russia and Pakistan.
How would you describe the current state of relations between Russia and Pakistan, and what efforts are being made to strengthen these ties further?
Russia-Pakistan relations are on the rise. We are satisfied with the current quality and dynamics of bilateral cooperation and we are eager to bring it to a new level for the benefit of our peoples as well as in the interests of regional peace and stability.
We see an increase in contacts in all areas. Russia and Pakistan are actively interacting in both bilateral and multilateral formats. Our countries have close positions on a wide range of international issues. Inter-parliamentary ties are growing. Now, the development of relations in the field of economy, culture and education is our top priority. We are working to create a favorable environment for strengthening humanitarian ties so that our peoples will come to know each other’s culture and history. To this end, in particular, we would like to revive the 1997 Intergovernmental Agreement in the fields of Culture, Science and Education through conclusion of Roadmaps on exchange programs or MoUs.
Can you share a personal anecdote or experience that highlights the warmth and hospitality of the Pakistani people during your tenure?
It is difficult to choose one because I feel the hospitality of the Pakistani people every time I meet them. And it is especially heartwarming to feel this unconditional love from those who know nothing about my social status or diplomatic position.Hospitality is the quality that both Pakistani and Russian people have in common. I am blessed to be working here in Pakistan because this friendly environment makes me enjoy every moment of communication with the locals.
What are some key areas of cooperation between Russia and Pakistan, and how do you envision these partnerships evolving in the future?
Russia-Pakistan relations are growing in all spheres. Our countries are actively cooperating at international and regional platforms, at the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to name but a few. Russia and Pakistan have common views on key global issues such as the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking, and the settlement of most conflicts. We are on the same page when it comes to Gaza and Afghanistan.In this regard, I would like to thank the leadership of Pakistan for its neutrality on the Ukrainian conflict. We know the pressures you face and are grateful for your principled stand. I would also like to express my special gratitude to the people of Pakistan, who know that Russia’s fight in Ukraine is not only for itself, but also for them.At this stage, we are focusing on developing our trade and economic relations. Our cultural andeducational potential remains very much untapped. These issues will be a priority for me and my team during my stay as Ambassador.
As an Ambassador, what strategies do you employ to promote cultural exchange and understanding between Russia and Pakistan?
It is my job as Ambassador to facilitate people-to-people contacts and develop bilateral cultural cooperation. To this end, I will focus on promoting the exchange of cultural delegations, and bringing Russian theater groups and music bands to Pakistan so that the Pakistani people can learn more about the great Russian culture.
I am also very much in favor of helping Pakistani artists and musicians to showcase their skills to the Russian public. It will definitely help to strengthen bonds between our two great peoples. This year, Russia is organizing the InterVision song contest, and we will be happy to see popular Pakistani singers in it.
Pakistan is a diverse nation with varying regional dynamics. How do you navigate these complexities to foster inclusive and mutually beneficial relationships?
Russia is also home to over 190 people, who live in peace side by side. Both Russia and Pakistan take pride in diversity. I do not believe that Pakistan’s cultural diversity poses a challenge to the development of bilateral relations. While we have a Consulate General in Karachi that is responsible for strengthening ties with the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan, our Embassy in Islamabad focuses on cooperation with the Punjab and KPK. However, I should like to emphasize that we are open to supporting friendly initiatives regardless of which province they come from.
Can you discuss any significant diplomatic initiatives or projects that you you’ve spearheaded to address common challenges faced by both Russia and Pakistan?
Both Russia and Pakistan are interested in seeing Afghanistan as a modern and prosperous country, which would greatly contribute to the national security of our respective countries. I believe that one of the most important platforms on Afghanistan is the Moscow Format, which has grown from a trilateral group of Russia-Pakistan-China into a major regional mechanism that brings together all of Afghanistan’s immediate neighbors, all the Central Asian Republics and other important regional players. It is my privilege to be personally involved in this process andbe able to contribute to it. The most recent meeting of the Moscow Format was held in the Russian city of Kazan in September 2023. It was attended by senior officials from 15 countries, including Pakistan, as well as representatives of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Türkiye, who participated as guests of honor.
In what ways does Russian Embassy support educational and academic exchanges between Russia and Pakistan?
I believe that education plays a very important role in our bilateral relations. Our current level of cooperation in this area is quite modest – every year 50 Pakistani students receive scholarships from the Russian government and go to Russia to study for free. We are currently working to increase this number manifold. We would like to see many more young and talented Pakistani students in our country, which offers great educational opportunities.
To help Pakistani youth overcome language and cultural barriers when they come to Russia, we have recently opened more Russian language centers in Karachi and Sargodha, and just this April I had the pleasure of opening the Russian language center at Punjab University in Lahore.
How do you engage with the Pakistani diaspora residing in your country, and what role do they play in strengthening ties between the two nations?
We focus more on cooperation with Russian compatriots living in Pakistan. The Russian diaspora here is quite large. Mostly it consists of Russian women, who, as you know are the most beautiful women in the world, who married lucky Pakistani men and moved to Pakistan. We stay in touch with them and greatly appreciate their initiatives in promoting economic and cultural ties between Russia and Pakistan.
How do you advocate for the interests of your country while also respecting and understanding the needs and concerns of the Pakistani government and people?
There is no challenge in advocating the Russian interests in Pakistan because our countries have a common vision on virtually all key issues. Both Russia and Pakistan face economic challenges posed by the Western countries. The West stole $300 billion of Russian assets while also blocking our initiatives to enhance energy security of Pakistan. One of our priorities today is to establish secure banking relations that would allow transactions between our two countries. We are also actively considering different forms of trade cooperation promoted by our leaders. I am talking about barter trade and settlements in national currencies, because it becomes more and more obvious that the U.S. dollar is being increasingly used by the United States as a political tool to punish the countries that annoy the U.S. Thus, it is rapidly losing its reputation as a reliable source for transactions.
What role does your Embassy play in promoting trade and investment between Russia and Pakistan, and what opportunities you see for further economic cooperation?
The trade turnover between Russia and Pakistan reached a historic high of $1 billion dollars last year. At the same time, the potential of our trade cooperation remains very much untapped. Our goal at the present stage is to double the turnover. To this end, we need to step up business-to-business ties. We need to help Russian and Pakistani business communities to learn more about each other. There are also great prospects for further cooperation in fuel and energy, agriculture and textile industries. The main working mechanism in this field is the Russia-Pakistan Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation (its most recent meeting took place in January 2023 in Islamabad).Another important cooperation avenue is energy. Russia and Pakistan have been working on the “PakStream” project. The relevant agreement was signed, but is yet to be implemented. Last year, we incorporated this agreement into a wider program on developing gas infrastructure in Pakistan. I hope that the Pakistani side will proceed expeditiously with its implementation, as it would greatly contribute to Pakistan’s energy security.
Can you share any challenges or obstacles you’ve encountered in your diplomatic efforts in Pakistan and how you’ve worked to overcome them?
One of the challenges of implementing projects in Pakistan is a significant time lag between initial discussions and the implementation phase. This is largely due to the fact that many Pakistani government agencies are severely understaffed. We understand this constraint and take it into account when designing a timeline for a particular project.
How do you leverage digital diplomacy and social media platforms to engage with a wider audience in Pakistan and beyond?
We put a lot of emphasis on digital tools in our diplomatic efforts. This is especially important in Pakistan where the majority of the population is under the age of 35. You can find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/russianembassypakistan), X (@RusEmbPakistan) and Telegram (t.me/RusEmbPak). There we tell the Pakistanis and the entire world that there is more than one point of view on the global issues. We encourage your readers to subscribe to our pages on social media. It is accessible to all as we are one of the few diplomatic missions in Islamabad that publishes posts in Urdu.
What skills and qualities do you believe are most important for a successful diplomat and Ambassador?
In this job, it is important to be able to listen to and understand your interlocutors. I also believe that a good diplomat must be creative and well-rounded. These qualities are crucial to making the right decisions.
How do you balance your diplomatic duties with personal commitments and interests while living and working in Pakistan?
I am used to leading an active lifestyle. My posting in Pakistan gives me a great opportunity to try new sports that are considered somewhat exotic in Russia. I am talking about golf, in particular. I love golf not only for the mechanics of the game, but also because it gives me the opportunity to meet new people and establish contacts with them, which is helpful in promoting bilateral relations.
What is the toughest decision you ever made and what did you learn from it?
When I was already an experienced diplomat, I received several lucrative offers to go and work in Russian diplomatic missions in Europe and the United States. At that time, working there was considered very prestigious and promising in terms of career prospects. But I decided to continue my service in the Asian Department, staying true to my original choice and love for Asia.Now I see that this was the right decision, as my experience of working in Asia has been very helpful in my current activities. My skills allow me to make a great contribution to the promotion of bilateral relations, and I believe that Asian countries, especially Pakistan, are much more promising and reliable partners than the Western ones
Define success and happiness?
For me, success is the ability to make an important contribution to serving my nation and my Motherland. Happiness is being close to your family. In this regard, I am much happier in Pakistan than in my previous postings because I have the opportunity to have my family with me.
Your favorite book to recommend the readers?
“The Crash of the Dollar and the Disintegration of the USA” by Russian Professor Igor Panarin.
Any optimistic message to the Pakistani people?
Today, by defending its sovereignty in Ukraine in confrontation with NATO’s war machine at our borders, Russia is also fighting for the world’s majority – the global South and East. We are fighting for the formation of a truly multipolar, just world order. We are fighting against the West’s efforts to impose neo-colonialism around the world, including in Pakistan.
The wonderful people of Pakistan deserve a great future and the Russian Federation will do its best to help ensure Pakistan’s energy and food security.
