Daniel Solod
Encyclopedia
Daniel Semyonovich Solod was a Soviet
diplomat and orientalist
. He began working in the Soviet diplomatic corps in 1937. In 1940–1941 he served as Officer at the Soviet embassy in Yugoslavia
. He was then transferred to Iran
, where he served as Officer at the Soviet embassy in 1941-1943. In 1944–1950 he was the Soviet consul to Egypt
. He served as the Soviet envoy to Lebanon
and Syria
. In 1953–1956 he returned to Egypt, as the Soviet envoy (becoming ambassador in 1954). Returning from Egypt, he was put in charge of the Near East department at the Soviet Foreign Ministry. Between 1959 and 1962 he was the Soviet ambassador to Guinea
. After returning from Guinea, he worked at the Africa Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR until 1970.
. Apart from the contacts with the Egyptian government, he also maintained contacts with local communists. From 1955 onwards, he advised Egyptian communists to recognize Nasser as a 'bourgeois nationalist'.
accused Solod of being involved in the so-called 'teachers' plot' (an alleged coup attempt by radical elements of the teachers' union). During a diplomatic reception in Conakry
, Touré's presidential protocol officer pulled Solod out and directed him to immediately go to the Guinean Foreign Ministry. At the Foreign Ministry, he was informed that he was persona non grata
in Guinea and that he had to leave the country at once.
Solod's actual role in the alleged plot is believed to have been very marginal. In January 1962 the Soviet Union sent a new ambassador to Guinea, Dmitry Degtyar. Although the Soviet Union tried to downplay the rift between the two states after Solod's departure, the Solod affair contributed to a weaking of Soviet-Guinean relations and an opening for increased links between Guinea and the People's Republic of China
.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
diplomat and orientalist
Oriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
. He began working in the Soviet diplomatic corps in 1937. In 1940–1941 he served as Officer at the Soviet embassy in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. He was then transferred to Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, where he served as Officer at the Soviet embassy in 1941-1943. In 1944–1950 he was the Soviet consul to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. He served as the Soviet envoy to Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. In 1953–1956 he returned to Egypt, as the Soviet envoy (becoming ambassador in 1954). Returning from Egypt, he was put in charge of the Near East department at the Soviet Foreign Ministry. Between 1959 and 1962 he was the Soviet ambassador to Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
. After returning from Guinea, he worked at the Africa Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR until 1970.
In Egypt
Solod served as the Soviet envoy to Egypt in run-up to the 1956 Suez Crisis, and held discussions with Gamal Abdul Nasser regardings arms imports from the Soviet Union. Solod also maintained contacts with the Egyptian government in discussions on Soviet aid to the construction of Aswan DamAswan Dam
The Aswan Dam is an embankment dam situated across the Nile River in Aswan, Egypt. Since the 1950s, the name commonly refers to the High Dam, which is larger and newer than the Aswan Low Dam, which was first completed in 1902...
. Apart from the contacts with the Egyptian government, he also maintained contacts with local communists. From 1955 onwards, he advised Egyptian communists to recognize Nasser as a 'bourgeois nationalist'.
In Guinea
Solod was appointed ambassador to Guinea on December 30, 1959. He succeeded Pavel Gerasimov. However, Solod's stay in Guinea was terminated by a diplomatic crisis between the two states. In November 1961 the Guinean president Ahmed Sékou TouréAhmed Sékou Touré
Ahmed Sékou Touré was an African political leader and President of Guinea from 1958 to his death in 1984...
accused Solod of being involved in the so-called 'teachers' plot' (an alleged coup attempt by radical elements of the teachers' union). During a diplomatic reception in Conakry
Conakry
Conakry is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea with a 2009 population of 1,548,500...
, Touré's presidential protocol officer pulled Solod out and directed him to immediately go to the Guinean Foreign Ministry. At the Foreign Ministry, he was informed that he was persona non grata
Persona non grata
Persona non grata , literally meaning "an unwelcome person", is a legal term used in diplomacy that indicates a proscription against a person entering the country...
in Guinea and that he had to leave the country at once.
Solod's actual role in the alleged plot is believed to have been very marginal. In January 1962 the Soviet Union sent a new ambassador to Guinea, Dmitry Degtyar. Although the Soviet Union tried to downplay the rift between the two states after Solod's departure, the Solod affair contributed to a weaking of Soviet-Guinean relations and an opening for increased links between Guinea and the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
.