Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at the Anatoly Dobrynin commemoration event, Moscow, November 20, 2019

Good evening, colleagues.

I would like to ask for your understanding as to why I was delayed. We had talks with our colleagues from the DPRK. Maybe I am justified by the fact that Anatoly Dobrynin, whose centenary we are observing today, also dealt with this problem, with peace in this part of the world. Probably it was not the main occupation in his outstanding career but it still counts.

I would like to welcome you once again to this important event. We are commemorating our great compatriot who served his Fatherland faithfully in all positions that he occupied by a twist of fate. I am very happy that this party is being attended by his relatives and friends. It is especially pleasant to see his associates who were lucky to work under his guidance.  

He was truly a unique personality. By profession he was an aircraft designer. You know his biography, possibly because it was reflected in detail, very vividly and with a human touch in a wonderful documentary shown by the First TV Channel the other day. I would like to convey sincere gratitude to the producers, to those who put their heart into this memorial footage that will remind many generations of Mr Dobrynin’s unique experience. He spent almost a quarter century as the Soviet Ambassador to the United States – I think this is a unique term not only for our diplomatic service but for other countries as well. As you know, six presidents changed during his time there. He established very durable, comradely, highly professional relations with all Administrations and every Secretary of State. He had a closed telephone communication line with the White House. This fact alone shows how he was seen by Washington. They say Mr Dobrynin had his own entrance at the Department of State where no other foreigners were admitted, not even from among the US’s closest allies. What we read in the memoirs of Americans about him shows their attitude towards this man, a representative of a great country.

The Caribbean Crisis (Cuban Missile Crisis) is the brightest page in Mr Dobrynin’s biography. It is right to emphasise this episode in his outstanding biography. The world was on the brink of a nuclear war and several people, including Mr Dobrynin, made enormous efforts that allowed us and the Americans to turn back from this brink. An enormous role in this was played by his ability to explain to the Americans in simple terms the current position and what we now call the “red lines” of the USSR, and at the same time his honest reports in which he described the situation without embellishment. He had the ability to convince the Soviet leaders. We honour such diplomats, and let his experience and example become a beacon for those who chose a diplomatic career.

Apart from the Caribbean Crisis his biography contains many glorious pages, for example, his contribution to détente. We can recall his very serious contribution to the drafting of documents like the ABM Treaty and the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. This was the first START-1. Unfortunately, the ABM Treaty is defunct. We now feel the consequences of a series of actions on discarding the arms control system and efforts to ensure strategic stability. Under the circumstances, it is all the more important for today’s generations of disarmament negotiators to uphold our position and seek compromises and agreements that can meet the standards set by Mr Dobrynin and his associates.

He was a demanding leader, although by and large he was a one-man band. He could work absolutely independently, but this did not mean that he did not appreciate his colleagues, employees or subordinates. He was a very good mentor. Regrettably, I did not have a chance to work with him directly but we regularly met in the 1980s when I worked as a diplomat in the economic office at the Soviet mission in the UN. Whenever foreign ministers – either Andrei Gromyko or Eduard Shevardnadze – visited the US, Mr Dobrynin flew from Washington to meet them and we had a chance to meet, sometimes for a short time during events timed to the participation of Soviet leaders in UN General Assembly sessions.

I can tell you that he instantly charmed people around him with his smile, manners and sense of humour. He never lost self-control in any critical situation. Later I compared my impressions to those who were there when destiny decisions were adopted during the Caribbean Crisis and other tense moments in our foreign policy life. He never showed any concern that could unsettle or invoke pessimism among those around him at these moments. He had a great ability to contain the sentiments that he certainly had – the feelings of alarm, danger and responsibility, but he never revealed them. I think this is one of the greatest qualities for any leader.

After completing his active government duties, Mr Dobrynin continued to do research and conduct public work. His book “Strictly Confidential” is written in his unique style. This book shows how important it is to leave one’s legacy to the younger generations. Many people will study this great manual for life and professionalism.

In effect, today we are completing a series of commemorative events devoted to the anniversary of Mr Dobrynin. MGIMO and the Foreign Ministry’s Department of History and Records staged an exhibition of archive materials. It was shown in the Foreign Ministry of Russia, the Russian Embassy in Washington D.C. and the UN in New York. Our Ministry’s Foreign Policy Planning Department staged a thematic competition of essays among young diplomats. The winners will be presented today and awarded certificates.

I mentioned the attention given by ITAR-TASS and the First TV Channel that produced this wonderful documentary, that sparked much interest in Russia and abroad.

This morning, representatives of our Veterans’ Council and members of the Council of Young Diplomats laid flowers at Mr Dobrynin’s tomb. Here, we will also hold a cancellation ceremony with an artistically marked envelope that is devoted to Anatoly Dobrynin and issued by our good partner Marka.  

Allow me to complete my remarks at this point and express the hope that the high standards set in diplomatic art by Mr Dobrynin will become an example for all of us and future generations of people who devote their lives to foreign policy. Thank you for your attention.

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Envelopes are a tradition. We have repeatedly cancelled them with our good friends and partners from the Marka Company. We have held such ceremonies in honour of Andrei Gromyko, Yevgeny Primakov and Andrey Karlov, our friend who died a tragic death in Ankara. Today we are holding this ceremony for Mr Dobrynin. I think this is a good tradition and we will do everything we can to continue it.

This is not the only form of cooperation with the Marka Company. They have issued a wonderful series of postal stamps devoted to diplomatic uniforms. This is a unique collection, and I am the lucky owner of one sample. We are very grateful to the Head of the Federal Communications Agency, Oleg Dukhovnitsky for devoting such attention to foreign policy in his activities. We will continue our cooperation in the future.