10 February 2003 00:00
PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION VLADIMIR PUTIN SENDS GREETINGS TO RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY STAFF AND DIPLOMATIC SERVICE VETERANS ON THE OCCASION OF DIPLOMATIC WORKER'S DAY
On February 8 President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin sent a message of greetings to the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and veterans of the diplomatic service on the occasion of Diplomatic Worker's Day.
The message reads in part:
"This holiday is being celebrated for the first time, but Russian diplomacy has a history of more than one century. Service in the foreign affairs department was always considered honorable and prestigious and the standard of training of its staff was invariably high.
"The present generation of Russian diplomats keeps sacredly and augments the remarkable professional traditions of their predecessors. Enormous responsibility lies on the MFA staff for the efficient and effective pursuit of the foreign policy course of the country, the goal of which is strengthening of the authority and prestige of Russia, its active participation in solving urgent and significant international problems and equal integration into the world economic system."
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