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Russian Deputy UN Envoy Recalls Great Moments With Churkin

© AP Photo / Seth WenigRussian ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin leaves the General assembly hall after a vote supporting the territorial integrity of Ukraine at United Nations headquarters, Thursday, March 27, 2014
Russian ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin leaves the General assembly hall after a vote supporting the territorial integrity of Ukraine at United Nations headquarters, Thursday, March 27, 2014 - Sputnik International
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NEW YORK (Sputnik) - Russia's late Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin was an outstanding diplomat with a great sense of humor, Russian Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Gennady Kuzmin told Sputnik on Tuesday, a one-year anniversary of Churkin's death.

"He had a wonderful sense of humor. Both personally and professionally, it was the man who projected his charisma both within the staff and outside it," Russian Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Gennady Kuzmin told Sputnik, adding that Churkin always held meetings, including those at the UN Security Council, "on the highest professional level."

Flowers and portrait in the building of the Russian Foreign Ministry, a tribute to Vitaly Churkin, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations. - Sputnik International
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Kuzmin also remembered one of the closed UN Security Council sessions, at which the US representative allegedly blamed Churkin for Russia's repeated rejection to recognize Kosovo's independence, stating that one cannot step into the same river twice.

"Vitaly Ivanovich [Churkin] reacted instantly: 'One cannot step into the same river twice, but can certainly step into the same swamp'," the diplomat said.

Kuzmin, who worked alongside Churkin for more than four years, pointed out that the late Russian envoy had a great memory, the capacity "to remember the remarkable volume of information" related to the work at the United Nations.

READ MORE: Churkin's Inter-Religious Activities Support Promoted Bridges Between States

Churkin was born in Moscow on February 21, 1952. He served as Russia's permanent envoy to the United Nations and Russian representative in the UN Security Council from April 2006 until his death. Churkin died in New York on February 20, 2017, a day before his 65th birthday.

The diplomat was buried on February 24, 2017, at a Moscow cemetery.

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