Rex Tillerson
U.S. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson expressed during a telephone conversation with Minister of foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov condolences following the passing away permanent representative of Russia to the UN Vitaly Churkin. This was announced on Tuesday, February 21, the press service of the foreign Ministry.
“On behalf of the U.S. Secretary of state expressed deep condolences over the untimely death of the permanent representative of Russia to the UN Vitaly Ivanovich Churkin, who knew many of the Americans”, — is spoken in the message.
In addition, the parties exchanged views “on topical issues of international agenda and bilateral relations.” The conversation, as noted in the foreign Ministry, was initiated by the USA.
Earlier condolences on the passing Churkin expressed the United States Ambassador in Moscow John Tefft, US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley and her predecessor, Samantha Power. In particular, Haley noted that the permanent representative of Russia “skillfully defended the position of his country”, and Power admitted that “devastated” by the news of the death of a diplomat called it “a deeply caring person” who tried to bridge differences between Moscow and Washington.
Vitaly Churkin died in new York on Monday, February 20, the day before your 65th birthday. According to the newspaper The New York Post, in the morning, the diplomat felt ill due to “heart problems”, the death was caused by a heart attack.
Vitaly Churkin was Russia’s permanent representative to the UN since 2006.