A politician who linked internationalism with regional rule
In February 1978, during an Asia-Africa people's solidarity session in Nicosia, Black September militants took him hostage; within forty minutes everyone except the Egyptian and Palestinian delegates was released.
Alexander Dzasokhov was a Soviet party and diplomatic politician whose career grew out of youth organizations and solidarity work with Asia and Africa. After serving as ambassador to Syria and leading the North Ossetian party organization, he reached a position where international politics and the nationality question converged. At the 28th CPSU Congress he was elected to the Politburo and Central Committee Secretariat, making him part of the last Soviet leadership as reform and the Union’s dissolution intersected. He later served in the Russian State Duma and as president of the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania, where he dealt with federal relations and interethnic tensions.
Also known as: Aleksandr Sergeyevich Dzasokhov
Activities and affiliations
Career Timeline
- 1957First Secretary, Ordzhonikidze City Komsomol Committee
- 1967–1986First Secretary, then First Deputy Chair, Soviet Committee of Solidarity of Asian and African Countries
- 1986–1988Soviet Ambassador to Syria
- 1988–1990First Secretary, North Ossetian Regional Committee of the CPSU
- 1989–1991People’s Deputy of the USSR; Chair of the Supreme Soviet Committee on International Affairs
- 1990–1991Member of the CPSU Politburo and Central Committee Secretariat
- 1993–1998Deputy of the Russian State Duma
- 1998–2005President of the Republic of North Ossetia–Alania
The Soviet Politburo
- Full member 1990.07–1991.08
served until the party ban of 1991.11