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http://interaffairs.ru
Author : Sergey Lavrov
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
DEAR FRIENDS,
Just a few days ago we bid a final farewell to Ye.M.
Primakov. A lot of sincere and right words were said,
befitting the moment. It is useless trying to enumer-
ate his official positions or his characteristics as a
statesman, political and public figure, academician,
journalist, scholar, and diplomat.
The most important thing, as Russian President V.V.
Putin said at the funeral service, is that Yevgeny Mak-
simovich was a great citizen of his country, who has made a great contribution to the evolution
and development of modern Russia. Indeed, this characterization cannot be applied to many
people, our contemporaries, to the same extent to which Yevgeny Maksimovich deserved it.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Ye.M. Primakov is the author of the key principles
of our foreign policy doctrine that have preserved their relevance over the past two decades.
This is, above all, the country's sovereign, independent foreign policy course, its openness to co-
operation with any other states or a group of states on an equal, mutually respectful and mutually
beneficial basis. I am confident that they will remain in our foreign policy doctrine for years to
come.
The memory of Yevgeny Maksimovich will forever remain in our hearts.
Valentina Matviyenko,
Chairman of the Federation Council, Federal Assembly of
the Russian Federation
I remember Yevgeny Maksimovich inviting me to his
office and saying that from December 1, we were to
start paying pensions on a regular basis. I said that
there were no conditions and no funds to fulfill that
task. His response was as follows: You have been ap-
pointed; this is your responsibility; the task must be
fulfilled.
In Memory of a Friend and Teacher: Yevgeny Primakov