© AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev
UN, February 22. /Offset. TASS Oleg Zelenin/. Dozens of diplomats and employees of the UN Secretariat said farewell on Wednesday by the permanent representative of the Russian Federation at the world organization Vitaly Churkin, who died Monday at the age of 64 years. The ceremony was held in the Russian mission, located on 67th street in Manhattan.
A farewell speech was made by the widow Irina Churkina and his son Maxim, Russian Ambassador in Washington Sergey Kislyak, the permanent representatives of the United States, Nikki Haley and Kazakhstan Kairat Umarov, Deputy of the Russian Ambassador Pyotr Ilyich and Vladimir Safronkov, as well as the UN Secretary-General, antónio Guterres. The latter noted the “unquestioned authority” Churkin in the Security Council and the respect which he enjoyed among his colleagues. “I think that if in heaven people need to work, God will make him a diplomat,” said the administrative head of the organization.