UNIS/BIO/607
30 May 2001

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

VIENNA, 30 May (UN Information Service) – The new Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations (Vienna), Grigory Berdennikov, presented his credentials on Wednesday to Pino Arlacchi, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV).

Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Berdennikov was Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia and Member of Collegium of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Between 1998 and 1999 he was Director of the Department for Security Affairs and Disarmament.

Mr. Berdennikov served as Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva from 1993 to 1998. He was Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation from 1992 to 1993.

Mr. Berdennikov began his diplomatic career in 1973, at the Permanent Mission of the USSR to the United Nations in New York. He served at the MFA Department of International Organizations between 1978 and 1981, at the Permanent Mission of the USSR to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva between 1981 and 1986, and at the MFA Department of Arms Limitation and Disarmament between 1986 and 1992.

Mr. Berdennikov graduated from Moscow Institute of International Relations. He speaks English and French.

He is married, and has one daughter.

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