António Guterres
UN Secretary-General antónio Guterres expressed his condolences in connection with the death of the Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, according to RIA Novosti.
“I have just returned to new York and was shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden death of Russia’s permanent representative Vitaly Ivanovich Churkin, the distinguished diplomat,” reads the statement of the Secretary General. “Despite the fact that we just served together, I greatly appreciated the opportunity to work with him and I will miss his understanding of the situation, skill and friendship,” he said.
“I pay tribute to his contribution to the UN and offer our deepest condolences to his family, relatives, the government and people of Russia”, — said the Secretary General.
Guterres arrived in new York from Germany, where he participated in Ministerial meetings in Bonn and the conference on security in Munich.
Earlier, the UN Security Council adopted a statement in connection with the death of Churkin. The members of the security Council expressed their deep condolences to the family of Ambassador, to the government and people of Russia.
Churkin February 20, died suddenly in new York, he was 64 years old. According to the newspaper The New York Times, in the morning he felt unwell because of “heart problems”. Death was caused by a heart attack.
Vitaly Churkin held the post of Russia’s envoy at the UN since 2006. Guterres began working in the office of the UN Secretary General on 1 January 2017.