Suchergebnisse

The article describes the life and achievements of Russian diplomat Yuri Dubinin on the occasion of the latter's eightieth birthday. In addition to his long career as an Ambassador to the United States, Spain, France and Ukraine, Dubinin has also been teaching at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). K. Cargill

Details the political and biological life of A A Gromyko; one of the 3 most powerful men in the Soviet Union during the first half of the 1980's, he would lose power and perish shortly before the Berlin Wall came tumbling down. Beginning as an economist in Moscow, he was thrust into politics and quickly rose up the ranks, careful to not incur the wraths of Stalin or Molotov unduly. Shortly after Stalin's death, he was on the move again, becoming known in the west as Mr. No, a sign of his gruff intractability, which often was criticized, though is passing the test of time. A man of few words, he ironically loved to write and was in charge of International Affairs for nearly 40 years. A particular aspect of his career of great import and interest is that of disarmament, of which Gromyko was fully versed and experienced in, as well as quite realistic about. Adapted from the source document.

The first part of this personal account begins with the author's descriptive acknowledgement of the Russian people as "great in number, weighed down by hardships, hardworking & patient to a certain point [but] once this point is reached , they mutiny violently against internal injustices or rise up in arms against the foreign invader." He adds that "what remains unchanged is the firmness of the family, nation, & individuals assigned by history, by Heaven." These images emerge in biographical excerpts of his rather unusual & inordinately fortunate life as a Russian born in a "once God-forsaken part of Russia near Saratov." His father, Dmitry Ivanovich Piadyshev, born in 1903, was capable, likeable, & fortunate, rising from a "good worker" to a government official granted the privileges of his rank. After his death in 1950, he was laid to rest with military honors. The author, privileged by his father's position, rose to a press position in the diplomatic service. He describes his experiences, including accompanying Khrushchev to the US & other places around the world. This first part ends with Khrushchev's forced retirement in 1964. Adapted from the source document.

The situation in Russia prior to its entry into WWII in 1941 is described in order to understand why Russia got involved in this conflict. Germany had become the common enemy of Russia and England. The major battles of the war (Stalingrad, Kursk, and Berlin) and the movement of foreign diplomats from Moscow to Kuibyshev and then back to Moscow in 1943 are described. The war left situations, solutions, and riddles that have been hard to logically understand. There had not been peace in the area since the end of the war 60 years ago. The Soviet Union was not doomed to disintegrate after the war, but failed due to its poor leadership and system.

Several public official who share their views on the 90th anniversary of International Affairs publication are presented. Among them are Henrikas Juskevicius, Boris Piadyshev and Konstantin Kosachev. Adapted from the source document.

Reports on a roundtable discussion held in the editorial offices of International Affairs to review foreign policy in 2007 & to consider the outlook for 2008. Participants included key government officials, scholars, & journalists familiar with the situation in Russia. There was strong support for the current direction of Russian foreign policy & agreement that Russia is experiencing steady growth & raising its profile in international politics. However, there was also awareness of conflicts within Russian society over the economy, civil rights, & the arrogance of power. Special attention was given to the importance of the continuing dialogue between Russia & the US; Russia's relationship & cooperation with the European Union; & prospects for the future of the Commonwealth of Independent States which turned 16 in 2007. China was seen as Russia's biggest problem. The need for Russia to accelerate development of its Far East policies & increase efforts to combat global warming was emphasized along with the need for the US to review its destructive policies in regard to Iraq. J. Lindroth