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Correspondent

Today, the Russian Diplomatic Service celebrates a professional event — Diplomats’ Day.

It marks the first notice of Posolsky Prikaz (Ambassadors Department) founded by Russian Tsar Ivan IV in 1549. Currently, more than 12 000 employees work for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and 252 missions abroad, including embassies, consulates and permanent representations.

Russian diplomacy has made significant contributions to strengthening the anti-Hitler Coalition during World War II, establishing the United Nations Organisation that marks its 75th Anniversary this year, bolstering the UN authority in international relations.

Russian diplomats have been playing a constructive role in easing global and regional tensions, promoting disarmament, building up multi-party cooperation with the countries and associations displaying reciprocal readiness to develop relations based on mutual respect and consideration of interests.

In 2019, Moscow pursued the line towards ensuring the supremacy of international law, maintaining the central role of the UN in world politics, searching for peaceful settlement of conflicts and prevention of confrontation scenarios. Special attention was paid to enhancing cooperation in the UN, G20, BRICS and other advanced multilateral associations.

In 2019, Russia hosted a number of major international events, including the first Russia-Africa Summit and Economic Forum on October 23-24 in Sochi.

All 54 African states were represented, 45 by Heads of State and Government. President of Russia Vladimir Putin announced the Summit Declaration adopted to develop further cooperation in politics, security, economy, science and technology.

It was decided at the summit to establish a new mechanism of dialogue, the Russian-African Partnership Forum.

Alongside many contracts and MoUs signed in Sochi, a framework agreement was concluded with participation of the major Russian banks on establishing a mechanism to finance trade between Russia and Africa.

Zimbabwe is among a few African countries to benefit from the pilot project.

The deepening of Russia-China relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation has harmoniously contributed to stabilisation of the international situation.

Bilateral energy cooperation was raised to a new level when the Power of Siberia cross-border gas pipeline became operational.

Russia and China announced 2020 and 2021 to be the years of bilateral cooperation in science, technology and innovation.

Russia continued the vigorous efforts to stabilise the situation in Syria, resolve urgent humanitarian tasks and promote the political settlement of the crisis.

A close cooperation was being maintained with Iran and Turkey in the Astana format. The implementation of the October 22 Russia-Turkey Memorandum on the area east of the Euphrates River made it possible to stop the bloodshed and stabilise the situation in the northeast of Syria.

Russia established contacts with the new leaders of the European Union (EU) and maintained dialogue with the EU on countering terrorism, drug trafficking and organised crime.

The domestic political struggle in the United States of America obstructed the development of constructive dialogue with Washington.

Russia and the US maintained contacts on counter-terrorism and a number of regional issues, including the developments in Syria, Afghanistan and the Korean Peninsula.

In response to the US withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, Russia made a voluntary commitment not to be the first to deploy land-based medium- or shorter-range missiles and suggested that other countries should join this moratorium.

Moscow tried to compel Washington to fully abide by its commitments on the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

Russia’s proposal to extend the Treaty as soon as possible after it expires in February 2021 remains valid.

On May 9, 2020 Russia will celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. President Vladimir Putin has declared 2020 the Year of Memory and Glory. As he noted, “We should recall the causes of the war that took millions of lives. We should not forget who collaborated with the Nazis, pushing them to the East, as well as the fact that it was the Soviet Union that played the crucial role in defeating the aggressor and liberating Europe and the World”. The official 75th Anniversary website is www.May9.ru.

This year Russia will chair BRICS with XII Summit taking place in St Petersburg on July 21-22. The motto is “BRICS Partnership for Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative Growth”.

The main goal of Russia’s Year in BRICS is to raise living standards and quality of life of the peoples of the participating countries.

Russia will continue to make progress on all three pillars of BRICS strategic partnership – policy and security, economy and finance, culture and humanitarian contacts.

President Putin proposed convening this year a summit of the States-Permanent Members of the UN Security Council which have a special responsibility for putting into practice the goals and principles of the UN Charter, maintaining global peace and security.