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European countries, but to show up and tell people Q: In your capacity as of conflict situations. It is
without any troops. They did about all the good things the Ambassador to the United very important to try to fmd a
have a Secretary-General Council was doing in those Nations, what do you way for us to solve them or at
though. Anyway, this was areas. So I visited a lot of consider the main areas of least bring the matter closer to
only to show you that it was interesting places, like interest for the Russian a solution. If we were to be
quite important at that time. Spitsbergen, successful in that, then things
Greenland, Federation today?
Alaska ... I was also on the could be improved in the
Then, of course, came Canada Barents Council. I will give my personal world. Unfortunately, we are
which was rather different opinion, as I do not think one not there yet, even though we
from Belgium. Canada is a Now I'm in New York! It is a can easily identify the most do sometimes make progress
place. important matters. Russia is a
very big, beautiful country very in some areas.
special
and I covered it from East to Professionally, it is very global power and a permanent
West, and from North to interesting but definitely the member of the Security Then, of course, comes some-
South -- often driving myself most demanding too. The Council, where we are thing for which Russia was
long distances from one point special thing about New York supposed to be dealing with one of the founding fathers
to another. For Russia, that I did not realize before all issues. Some of them are and that is the anti-terrorist
Canada is a very important (although in the past I had the closer to our concerns, others dimension of the UN
country because there is an opportunity to attend go beyond them. I would say activities. There are various
important Northern dimen- meetings of the General that the main interest for committees dealing with the
sion to our co-operation. Assembly when I accompa- Russia, given its responsibili- problems of terrorism, and
Canada is a G8 member nied various Foreign ty as a permanent member of this is something that is very
country too, so there is addi- Ministers), you really get the the Security Council, is to important for Russia. Then
tional contact when some feeling of being "in the make sure that all avenues are come all other aspects of UN
important things happen. world" when you sit on the explored to settle the most activities -- economic,
Security Council or in the difficult international pro- environmental -- all of them
Then, after leaving Canada, General Assembly. When you blems that exist. are important for Russia.
my main preoccupation was talk to people in the corridor,
chairing the Arctic Council. you immediately know about The Security Council is Q: The Russian Federation
To my surprise, I had to carry things happening in far away dealing with the Middle East, is one of the P5 nations. On
the flag of the Arctic Council places, which people do not the Iranian nuclear issue, a personal front, what does
all over the world because often think about in Russia or various problems on the this imply for you and your
wherever people discussed other countries. It is African continent -- Darfur is colleagues?
climate change or indigenous fascinating. perhaps the most prominent
populations, I was supposed one. There is this whole area It implies that we spend quite

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