Arabic readers in the UAE could begin receiving weekly updates on the news from Russia. Since being relaunched a year ago, the Arabic version of the state-run Moscow News has doubled its output from one issue a month to two, and now it hopes to double that figure again. The newspaper is owned by Ria Novosti, the Russian news agency.
"This is part of an ongoing pattern of Russia re-asserting itself on the international stage," said Daniel Levy, head of the Middle East task force at the New America Foundation, a think tank in Washington. "Given previous ties and the strategic importance of the Middle East, it would be surprising if that were not also happening in the region." Moscow News focuses on Russian and Middle Eastern affairs, targeting businessmen, academics, government officials and diplomats.
Since last year, its circulation has grown to 190,000 in 13 countries across the Middle East and North Africa, with special editions published in Iraq and in London. It appears mainly as a supplement to local newspapers, but in recent months has also shown up for sale in kiosks. In the UAE, 40,000 copies are distributed at hotels, restaurants and offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Al Ain. "Readership has increased dramatically, as evidenced by the numerous letters and calls to the editorial board," said Raed Jaber, the editor ofMoscow News.
"We are working to expand into other markets so that every Arab person or Arabic speaker interested in developments in Russia can read it." The newspaper picked the UAE as its first development hub outside Russia to affirm the growing ties between the two nations, said Mr Jaber. Moscow News began publishing in English in 1930 and in Arabic in 1969. Over the decades it also appeared in French, Spanish, Italian, Hungarian, Finnish and Russian. In 1992 after the collapse of the Soviet Union, production ceased for all versions apart from English.
Ria Novosti acquired the paper in 2008, relaunching its Arabic-language version the following year. Russia is beefing up its presence in the Middle East at a time when US and European credibility is waning. But it is uncertain if Russia can replace them with its regional clout, said Alexei Malashenko, a Middle East expert with the Moscow Carnegie Center. "Russia plays a secondary role in the Middle East," he said.