Remarks by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at Memorial Evening for Viktor S. Chernomyrdin, Moscow, October 26, 2011

Dear Vitaly Viktorovich and Andrey Viktorovich,

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

Today we are holding an evening dedicated to the memory of Viktor Stepanovich Chernomyrdin – a person with whom much bound and binds all those present. I'm sure of that, because, to use the stock phrase which in this case has every right to exist, "his cause lives on." It lives on in his children and relatives, in his friends and indeed all those who came into even the slightest contact with him.

I am convinced that the blazing optimism of this man, his energy infected everyone. This was a man with outstanding talents who personified the best traits of the Russian people, a patriot of his state, the Russian Federation, and before that – the Soviet Union. He was always obliging and principled and placed service to the Fatherland above everything else. He never shirked responsibility, was always ready to take it upon himself in tackling complex problems on the strategic directions of development of our state - at the most critical stages where he remained, in essence, one on one with a partner, and a decision had to be taken immediately.

I had a chance to work with him in the early 1990s, when he had just entered upon the office of Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation. I remember a series of episodes when his qualities fully manifested themselves most vividly. So it was, when in Washington he held talks with Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Michel Camdessus, trying to get a positive decision on the allocation of credits that our country desperately needed at that moment. He explained that we had the north where it was necessary to "deliver food and goods, and time is running out, navigation will soon draw to a close." And he succeeded in making his case to this refined, sophisticated Frenchman, who took heed of all the arguments presented, even though coached in simple language, to which the IMF is not used to.

Together we went to Cape Canaveral. The groundwork for cooperation with the United States was then laid, later resulting in the creation of the International Space Station. The US shuttle program was in full swing, and we were talking not from such a strong position as today. Nevertheless, Viktor Stepanovich was able to negotiate favorable and decent terms of space cooperation with the United States. In just the same way he served on the Chernomyrdin-Gore Commission, which became the prototype for the Reset and whose positive experience we still use.

Undoubtedly, everyone remembers Budennovsk, when Chernomyrdin found himself at the sharp end of an immensely difficult problem and made the decisions veritably live on the air. It was an act of manly man and of statesman and politician. I am convinced that Viktor Stepanovich was fully aware of all the implications of some or other moves.

Of course, we also cannot forget about his work at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We were greatly honored when, after his long tenure of office as Chairman of the Government of Russia, Chernomyrdin was appointed Ambassador to Kiev, and Special Envoy of the President on relations with Ukraine. At these positions, he again proved himself to be a man who saw far beyond the horizon and always matched today's problems and difficulties to the strategic interests of the Motherland. He never detached himself from Ukraine, and, as you know, Ukraine did not consider him a stranger. According to surveys carried out there, if he had run for President of Ukraine, he would have won by a considerable margin. I certainly do not want to say anything bad about people who aspired to the office, but they themselves said to him about it. And this fact is very valuable for understanding the scale of Chernomyrdin's personality.

Chernomyrdin was a very generous person – generous in helping friends, people close to him and not very close; generous with his talent that he never used for self-promotion but employed in the service of his country. His charisma was legendary, his humor became classic, reflecting our epoch in its entirety, including in relation to the diplomatic service. One day at a reception, when offered a variety of drinks, Viktor Stepanovich chose whiskey. The waiter asked, "Shall I dilute it with water for you?" To which he, glancing strictly, replied: "If it were necessary to dilute the whiskey – they'd have done it at the plant." Therefore, he was also all right with diplomatic ceremonial and protocol.

In dealing with people who were not indifferent to him, one could feel how important it was for him a solid, reliable rear – his family, his late wife Valentina, his children, grandchildren, and generally all that which is the simple human, domestic happiness.

I am very grateful to everyone who came today for this evening. We wanted it to be informal, human and humane, such as Viktor Stepanovich Chernomyrdin was and such as he will live forever in our hearts.