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USSR First Deputy Foreign International Relations, will
Minister and a predecessor surely be interested in rea-
of Vorontsov in this post. ding the book to find inspi-
ration for their future
Q: When is the book careers. Undoubtedly, his
coming out? example has influenced me
in both my personal and
It will be launched in diplomatic life.
r February in Moscow.
Actually, 10 February is a Q: Is this something that
professional holiday for will only be possible for
Soviet/Russian diplomats Russian students?
and so, given Ambassador
Vorontsovs distinguished No, hopefully one day this
career, both during the book will be translated.
Soviet era and the Russian Also, the Foreign Ministry
Federation, I think this is the of the Russian Federation
best moment to unveil the published, in 2009, a book
empire'. It was more a per- well as numerous briefings book. about the Ambassador to
iod of, let us call it "shy to the Security Council. For
which the Foreign Minister
détente", very much influen- a small State such as
Q: What do you consi- Sergei Lavrov wrote a fore-
ced by the mistrust of the Kuwait, 605 missing per-
der to be the main lega- word and a Foundation has
past. I have learned that cer- sons represented a humani- cy of Ambassador been recently set up in
tain political figures invol- tarian trauma and much suf-
Vorontsov? Denver, Colorado by
ved in diplomacy were fering for as long as it per- Deborah Palmieri, in order
open-minded and worked sisted. The Ambassador's
I think his main legacy is to carry out a special project
hard to overcome the stereo- wise diplomacy and funda-
that in diplomacy, first and in memory of Ambassador
types of the Cold War. mental humanity contribu-
foremost, one should have, Vorontsov. The International
Diplomacy has always been ted significantly to keeping
and defend, human values. It Informatization Academy
working for the thawing of hope and dignity alive and
is not very professional to established a medal named
the international climate. responsibilities focused.
try to outsmart partners in after the Ambassador. I am
Ambassador Vorontsov was
negotiations. It is the ability pleased that he is remembe-
the First Deputy Foreign Q: Do you think we lack
to listen and to understand red by many people across
Minister and in this position people like Ambassador
as well as to appreciate your the globe, in particular at the
he dealt with situations such Vorontsov today?
opponent's opinion, whether United Nations where he
as the crisis between Iraq
you like it or not. It is the started a career at the Ninth
and Kuwait; the negotiations No, I think that every gene-
ability to analyze in order to Session of the General
in Geneva concerning the ration brings forth people of
reach conclusions based on Assembly.
ban on medium-range missi- his caliber. You may recall
the well-grounded opinions
les; and, the withdrawal of Sergio Viera de Mello and of diplomats from the other
Cl) Soviet side while yet defending the
troops Lakhdar Brahimi; further
from
Afghanistan, which was the back Dag Hammaskjold. interests of your own nation.
main problem between the Some of these people are not
This is my own view of the
USSR and the entire world always to be found on the human dimension to diplo-
at that time. I fully suppor- front pages. Some are visi-
macy which has not
ted the decision of the ble, some are less -- that's been very much
Soviet government to with- all. I am happy that in my explored.
draw from Afghanistan, life I had the chance to be
which saved many lives of close to Ambassador
0: Finally, on a
my compatriots. Vorontsov, and that I was personal level
lucky when he shared his
what
has
For seven years - actually wisdom with me. He was
Ambassador
until the day he died, one of those people who
Vorontsov left
Ambassador Vorontsov was accomplished a lot without
behind?
the High-Level Coordinator too much fanfare. Having
of the Secretary General for said that, I do acknowledge
He could have said
missing Kuwaitis and third that he was personally and
so much but he
country nationals and stolen professionally quite unusual actually said very
Kuwaiti property. From - even exceptional. The for-
little! Students of
2000 until December 2007, mer USSR had several diplomacy in his t1 fl J 0 M a I
he prepared twenty-five diplomats of this standing.
Alma Mater, the C'
reports of the Secretary- In this connection, I would Moscow
State
General on this issue, as like to mention Georgi
for
Institute
Kornienko, who was the
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