I would like to say a few words. First, I would like to cordially greet the Ministry's staff gathered here, our veterans, and to congratulate everybody on our professional holiday. Diplomats Day celebration is a good opportunity to meet here many of those involved in formulating and implementing Russia's foreign policy. I am happy to greet our dear guests, representatives of staff of the President and the Government of the Russian Federation, Chambers of the Federal Assembly of Russia, Russian ministries and agencies.

It goes without saying that politics is by no means an easy thing, and it is only through our joint efforts that we may succeed in meeting the challenges our country is facing at the current stage of international relations. We hope to continue our close and fruitful cooperation with our colleagues.

I would like to specifically address our dear veterans. We say our sincere thanks to you for everything you have done for the sake of our country and our Ministry, for keeping alive our best traditions while developing them in a creative manner and reinforcing our stance and bringing it up to date. Thank you for staying with us, setting an example for us and giving your advice. Your invaluable experience and your loyal service to our Motherland is a great asset in our work.

My special gratitude goes to Evgeny M. Primakov and Igor S. Ivanov, who ushered in a new era both in our foreign policy and in our Ministry's internal development.

Dear Friends,

Our work has just received high praise from our country's leaders, which means that we have all reasons to be proud of the results achieved during the past year. Russian diplomats strived to act, as usual, in a proactive manner while fully understanding their responsibility in a challenging international situation and contributing to advancing national interests globally.

The year 2008 has become yet another milestone in the evolution of international relations in the post-cold war period. It is clear that nobody can do business anymore as if nothing has changed in the world during the last 15-17 years.

The events that happened, from Georgia's aggression against South Ossetia to the global financial and economic crisis to the recent crisis in European gas supplies and the Gaza tragedy, have shown the complete inappropriateness of the past era's "no change" approaches and their underlying instincts and philosophies. Unilateral and, even more so, force-based actions contrary to the norms of international law as well as attempts to direct the course of events towards a win-win situation should become a thing of the past. A fundamentally new geopolitical situation suggests that all countries join their efforts. It leaves no room for national egoism or attempts to address one's own problems, be it financial or security ones, at the expense of others. We have consistently called for the formulation of common rules and universal application of international law in inter-State relations.

People in the US are now aware of the importance of change as well; the new Administration came to power under the banner of change. Let us join our efforts in this spirit in order to tap the existing global potential for constructive multilateral cooperation.

President Medvedev's initiative to sign a treaty on Euro-Atlantic security is aimed at establishing a truly open system of collective security. The majority of our partners have already shown interest in it. There can be no doubt that this problem actually exists and we should find a way to deal with it, as evidenced by our consultations in the Collective Security Treaty Organization, our discussions in the OSCE, in Evian and Munich, as well as by our dialogue with the European Union.

No positive development in Europe or the world as a whole is possible today without a constructive cooperation with Russia. We are prepared to develop equal and mutually respecting relations with those who reciprocate, for the benefit of our countries and peoples. We have strengthened the integration core of the CIS in the form of CSTO, EURASEC and the Union State of Russia and Belarus, advanced the concept of strategic partnership between Russia and the European Union, broadened our dialogue with new centers of economic growth and political influence in the BRIC and other formats, and raised the level of our cooperation with friendly States of Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific and Africa.

Our activities are firmly based on the new Concept of Foreign Policy approved by the President, which has provided continuity to the country's foreign policy at this crucial stage of world development. Our actions on the international level will continue to be based on pragmatism, multi-track approach, consistent yet non-confrontational promotion of our national interests, and helping to set a positive international agenda capable of joining countries together.

Russia has definitely established itself as one of the world's leading nations. Even those who intended to play geopolitical chess in our absence have recognized this. However, moves to "deter" Russia as well as unscrupulous attempts to prevent us from using our competitive advantages will perhaps continue. Counteracting this policy in an effective way and portraying an objective image of Russia in the world are among our priorities in 2009.

Big and important challenges lie ahead. I am convinced that Russia's foreign service will live up to the tasks set by our country's political leaders. We need to continue developing and improving our foreign service and its human resources in order to address them successfully.

Our professional activities are not getting easier, quite the contrary, and the Ministry's top management is well aware of that. We are doing our utmost to provide social protection to all our staff and our dear veterans in this time of financial crisis.

Today, an important step has been made to implement President Medvedev's order for the elaboration of a draft law on the particulars of federal civil service in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, given here at the meeting of Russian ambassadors serving abroad last July. Today, after having obtained all necessary approvals, we forwarded the corresponding package to the Government for submission to the President, who, in turn, will submit the draft law to the Federal Assembly. We hope to receive support from all those who will be involved in further consideration of this draft law, which is of crucial importance to our Ministry. In recent years, our country's leaders have repeatedly demonstrated their support for our service by taking concrete decisions affecting it. Rest assured that this support will be translated into further decisions the Russian leaders will take in the foreseeable, and I hope the nearest, future.

However, our responsibility is getting larger as well. We are well aware that we represent a great country, which is a source of pride for its citizens and an important actor in the world arena. This gives us new strength, and we should renew our commitment to continue our work without sparing ourselves.

On the eve of the Day, twelve staff members received high State awards, and 25 got Presidential certificates of merit and acknowledgement. Before concluding this solemn meeting, I would like to hand out some of these awards; the rest of them will be handed out at the next meeting of the Ministry's Collegium.

In conclusion, I would like to congratulate once again those who received the awards they deserve and everyone here on this Day and express my sincere gratitude for your work for the benefit of our Motherland. May I wish you and your dear ones good health and happiness.