BIOGRAPHY OF AMBASSADOR TO U.S. LUKIN

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00105487
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: February 21, 2025
• Document Release Date: February 27, 2025
• Publication Date: November 14, 1992

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IMAUT'HOR(S):(22M RAF SHAKIROV: aaRuss/AN AMEAS_ADCR VLAD/MIR LUKIN**3
C1MHEADLINE:C22M BIOGRAPHY OF AMBASSADOR TO U.S. LUKIN
ElMSOURCE LINE:E22M 934C03744 MOSCOW KOMMERSANT�DAILY IN RUSSIAN 14 NOV 92
P9
E1MSUBSLUG:E22M CARTICLE BY RAF SHAKIROV: 2RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR VLACIMIR
LUKIN**)
C1MFULL TEXT OF ARTICLE:C22P
C1M1. C22MCARTICLE BY RAF SHAKIROV: 22RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR VLADIMIR LUKIN")
C22METEXT3 THERE HAVE PROBABLY BEEN MORE RUMORS ABOUT HIM THAN ABOUT
ANY OTHER RUSSIAN POLITICIAN. THEY DO NOT CONCERN HIS PRIVATE LIFE
BUT FOCUS ON HIS CAREER PROSPECTS. THIS ALONE PROVES THAT HE IS AN
EXTRAORDINARY MAN, AND EVERYONE WHO KNOWS HIM KNOWS THAT IT IS NOT
JUST HIS PROFESSIONAL ABILITIES THAT MAKE HIM EXTRAORDINARY. ONE OF
LUK/N'S OLD FRIENDS, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HENRY K/SSINGER,
SAID THIS ABOUT HIM WHEN HE WAS IN MOSCOW IN OCTOBER 1992: HE SEEMS
TO BE AN AMBASSADOR WITH THE KIND OF HUMAN QUALITIES THAT ARE CUITE
RARE IN AMBASSADORS.**
C1M3. E22mVLADTMIR LUKIN WAS BORN IN OMSK ON 13 JULY 1937. HIS FATHER ANC
MOTHER, PROFESSIONAL REvOLUTIONARIEF, WERE REPRESSED SOON AFTERWARD.
A NEIGHaOR WHO HAO GIVEN BIRTH' TO A SON FOUR DAYS EARLIER NURSED THE
CHILD UNTIL HIS GRANCMCTHE'R ARRIVED F7CM MOSCOW.
a
a
44
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.7.1144. C22 RE ARE Snmc OF HIS STRCNGEST CHILDHOOD MEMORIES. SUMMER 1941:;!
E WERE CN THE TRAIN, CN CUR WAY TO C!IR CACHA, AND FATHER ANC
MOTHER W=R; HOU'ING Y THE HAND. THERE WAS ANYI1US CONVERSATION.
I CO NOT
TOOK TH7 F1US Th',7CUGH Rg:VOLUTI,71N STIUAR7 (HE LGVED T5 PIC= THE 11:TS WH=N
HE WAS A Wpr�
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STALIN'S FUNERAL: aaI WAS ALREADY A FAIRLY BOISTEROUS YOUNG MAN AND I
GOT ALL THE WAY TO KRASNOKHOLMSKIY BRIDGE."'
E1M5. (22MHE GRADUATED FROM THE HISTORY DEPARTMENT OF THE MOSCOW STATE
PEDAGOGICAL INSTITUTE. HE WORKED IN THE EDITORIAL OFFICES OF PROBLEMY
MIRA I SOTSIALIZMA, KNOWN AS THE POLITICAL NOVYY MIR, IN PRAGUE AFTER
HE HAD COMPLETED HIS POST�GRADUATE STUDIES. IN AUGUST 1968 HE
PROTESTED THE DECISION TO SEND SOVIET TROOPS INTO CZECHOSLOVAKIA AND
WAS SENT To MOSCOW ON A MILITARY PLANE THE NEXT DAY. HE WORKED IN THE
INSTITUTE OF U.S. AND CANADIAN STUDIES FROM 1968 TO 1187.
E1M6. E22MLUKINIS RAPID ASCENT BEGAN IN 1985, WHEN HIS REPORT ON REFORM IN
CHINA WAS COMMENDED AT A CLOSED SESSION OF THE POLITBURO AND WAS
LATER USED AS THE BASIS FOR GORBACHEV'S SPEECH IN vLADTVOSTOK (IN
1987). AFTER THIS LUKIN WENT TO WORK TN THE MINISTRY OF FCREIGN
AFFAIRS, WHERE ME SERVED FIRST AS DEPUTY CHIEF CF THE FAR EASTERN
ADMINISTRATION AND THEN AS DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE FORECASTING AND
PLANNING ADMINISTRATION.
ElM7. E22M/N 1990 HE WAS ELECTED A PEOPLE'S DEPUTY OR RUSSIA AND CHAIRMAN
OF THE COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AND FOREIGN ECONOMIC
RELATIONS. IN FEBRUARY 1992 HE WAS APPOINTED RUSSIA'S AMBASSADOR
EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY TO THE UNITED STATES.
[1M8. E22mHE Is THE AUTHOR OF SEVERAL BOOKS ON INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS. HE
IS A DOCTOR OF HISTORICAL SCIENCES AND IS FLUENT TN ENGLISH, SPANISH,
AND FRENCH. HE WAS AWARDED THE BADGE OF HONOR AND A WHITE HOUSE
DEFENSE MEDAL (HE DOES NOT REMEMBER IF HE EVER GOT IT).
E1M9. E22MHE LOVES LIFE AND THE COMFORTS OF LIFE. HIS FAVORITE VACATION
SPOTS ARE THE CENTRAL BELT CF RUSSIA, THE CITY OF PARNU (ESTONIA),
AND THE ISLAND CF JAMAICA. HE IS MARRIED AND HAS TWO CHILDREN AND TWO
GRANDCHILDREN. HIS HOBBIES ARE RUSSIAN LITERATURE, SOCCER, AND HOCKEY
(HE HAS NOT SEEN ON THE ICE HIMSELF FOR THREE YEARS, BUT HE IS AN
AVID FAN OF THE CENTRAL ARMY SPORTS TEAM).
EIM10. C22mTHERE WERE AS MANY RuMOPS ABOUT THE IDENTITY OF THE RUSSIAN
AMBASSADO7 To THE UNITED STATES AS THERE WERE AROUT THE NEW MINISTER
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. IN PARTICULAR, THE GOSSIPS WERE READY TO SEND
SECRETARY 0= STATE SERGEY STANKEVICH IC THE .341$44(S OF THE POTOMAC. THE
RUMORS REACHED VLADIMIR PETROVICH IN WASHINGTON, WHERE HE HAD GONE
AFTER NEW yr'4RI5 TO PRESENT SOME LECTURES. THIS IS WHY HE THOUGHT
NOTHING OF IT WHEN HE WAS MADE A HEM?,FR OF THE RUSSIAN DELEGATION AT
THE UN GENERAL ASSEmciLY, HEADED iY THE PPESI'3=NT. LUPIN CIO NOT FINE:
OUT THAT HE WAS THE AmEASSACOR TO THE UNITED STAT=S UNTIL CNE OF
YELTSIMS ASSISTANTS WHISPERED TO HIM AS THEY WERE GETTING OF= THE
PLANE IN THE mEW YCRN AIRPORT: ;;Yr,7.0 OE ME A HAL=�LITER NOW THAT YOU
HAVE BEE ST-P*1-
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E1M11. (22MTHE DECISION BECAME OFFICIAL A LITTLE LATER, WHEN YELTSIN WAS
INTRODUCING THE MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION TO BUSH AND SAID: arrmIs IS
GAYDAR�THE PREMIER, THIS IS KOZYREV� THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS,
AND THIS IS LUKIN�YOU KNOW, THE AMBASSADOR." LUKIN SAID: aaI AM NOT
THE AMBASSADOR YET." YELTSIN WAS CONFUSED: aWHAT DO YOU MEAN?"
22THIS CALLS FOR AN OFFICIAL ACCEPTANCE," LUKIN SAID. BUSH
INTERRUPTED: WE HAVE HEARD ALL ABOUT YOU. YOU ARE WELCOME." LATER
LUKIN REMARKED: 221 DECIDED TO SE A LAW�ABIDING CITIZEN."
E1M12. r22MTHIS RAPID INSTALLATION WAS NO COINCIDENCE.. BY THAT TIME LUKIN
HAD ALREADY WON YELTSINIS CONFIDENCE THE RELATIONSHIP HAD BEEN
INITIATED BY LUKIN. HE HAD GONE TO SET YELTSIN, AS THE CHAIRMAN OF
THE COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS REPORTING TO THE CHAIRMAN OF
THE SUPREME SOVIET, ANC TOLD HIM: aaBOR/S NIKOLAYEVICH, BECAUSE OF MY
PERSONAL VIEWS AND BECAUSE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING TODAY, I FEEL A DUTY
TO OFFER MY SERVICES, BUT I HAVE NEVER BEEN AND WILL NEVER BE A 'YES
MAN.'" YELTSIN SMILED: aaYOU ARE JUST THE KIND OF MAN I NEED."
LATER VLADIMIR PETROVICH PROVED TO BE A VALUABLE COMPANION TO YELTSIN
ON SEVERAL OF HIS SUCCESSFUL OVERSEAS TRIPS AND YELTSIN GREW
ACCUSTOMED TO ASKING HIM FOR ADVICE. LUKIN SOMEHOW MANAGED NOT TO
ACCOMPANY YELTSIN ON HIS UNSUCCESSFUL TRIPS�TO THE UNITED STATES (IN
1990) AND T2 FRANCE (IN 1991).
E1M13. E22MIN SPITE OF THAT, SOME OBSERVERS SAW LUKINIS APPOINTMENT IN THE
UNITED STATES AS A WAY OF EXCLUDING HIM FROM RUSSIAN
AFFAIRS�PRIMARILY FROM THE RUSSIAN�UKRAINIAN CONFLICT OVER THE BLACK
SEA FLEET AND THE CRIMEA, IN WHICH LUKINIS COMMITTEE HAD TAKEN AN
UNCOMPROMISING STANCE AND THREATENED TO USE FORCE AGAINST UKRAINE. AT
A PRESS CONFERENCE IN THE WHITE HOUSE, LUKIN HIMSELF SUGGESTED THAT
aaTHERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO WANT MY VOICE TO RE DROWNED SOMEWHERE IN
THE DEPTHS OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN."
E1M14. (22MALTHOUGH LUKIN LIKES TO REPEAT THE OLD SAYING THAT aiONLY WOMEN
CAN SUM UP THE RESULTS OF THEIR EFFORTS EACH MONTH," THERE HAVE BEEN
PERCEPTIBLE CHANGES IN THE EMBASSY DURING HIS 10 MONTHS IN
WASHINGTON. HE BEGAN BY INSTALLING TWO WINDOWS IN HIS OFFICE, WHICH
HAD RESEMBLED A BUNKER (A WINDOWLESS ROOM FILLED WITH EQUIPMENT), AND
ALSO A TELEVISION SET, WHICH HAD BEEN PROHIBITED FOR SECURITY
REASONS.
t1M15. C22mTHE EmEASSY SOON BECAME POPULAR WITH MORE THAN JUST 57NAT0RS AND
CONGRESSMEN. AMERICANS NOW THINK OF IT AS A PRESTIGIOUS LOCATICN Fop
mEETINGS AN7: PA7TTES. ONE GF THE LATEST MEETINGS WAS A GATHERING '7F
AMEPICAN VETEPAN TEST PI1O171. AS CNT TMASSY STAFFER SAID, ii!ZWE HAVE
5ECOMF SO4ETHING LIKE 4 TPENDY NEW YORK RESTAURANT."
_
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REPRESENTING THE MOST DIVERSE POLITICAL CURRENTS AND AIRS HIS VIEWS
ON RADIO AND IN aamiousel POLITICAL SCIENCE JOURNALS, SUCH AS
FOREIGN POLICY. LUKIN ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH BILL CLINTON'S TEAM AT
THE RIGHT TIME, AND HE PRUDENTLY ADVISED YELTSIN AGAINST A MEETING
WITH RCSS C1MPEgOT.E22M THE AMERICANS WERE QUICK TO APPRECIATE LUKIN'S
EFFORTS. THE LCS ANGELES COUNCIL ON FOREIGN POLICY NAMED HIM
22DIPLOMAT OF THE YEAR."
ElM17. (22MLUKIN ESTABLISHED PERMANENT CONTACTS WITH THE EMIGRE COMMUNITY,
AND THE WORKS CF ERNST NETZVESTNYY (ONE OF LUKIN'S OLD FRIENDS) AND
OTHER ARTISTS ARE NOW ON DISPLAY IN THE BUILDING ON SAKHAROV PLAZA.
ACTING ON LUKIN'S ADVICE, RUSSIAN EMIGRANTS ESTABLISHED A SPECIAL
REFUGEE RELIEF FUND. THE FRIENDS OF-THE EMBASSY INCLUDE LOCAL:
ORTHODOX PRIESTS�FATHER DMITRIY AND FATHER VIKTOR POTAPOV, THE HEAD
OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OUTSIDE OF RUSSIA. LUKIN DEFINES HIS
OWN ATTITUDE TOWARD RELIGION IN PROTAGORAS� WORDS: i2LIFE IS TCO
SHORT, AND THE EXISTENCE OF GODS IS TOO COMPLEX AN ISSUE."
rimis. E22MIN GENERAL, THERE IS NOTHING MONASTIC APOUT THE AMBASSADOR. HE
LOVES TO CONVERSE AND EXCHANGE ANECDOTES WITH TALENTED AND WITTY
INDIVIDUALS. HIS FRIENDS DESCRIBE HIM AS THE LIFE OF THE PARTY AND
SAY THAT HE DOES EVERYTHING IN A 22LIGHTHEARTED AND PLAYFUL** MANNER.
THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT ALL OF THE RITUAL LUNCHES AND DINNERS DO NOT
ALLOW HIM TO STAY ON HIS DIET. LUKIN LIKES ALL KINDS OF FOOD, BUT THE
MAIN THING IS THAT HE LIKES TO EAT QUICKLY (EVEN IN THE WHITE HOUSE
ME PREFERRED THE SIXTH FLOOR TO THE DEPUTY DINING ROOM BECAUSE THE
SERVICE WAS QUICKER). ALTHOUGH HE APPRECIATES CHINESE COOKING, HE
USUALLY PREFERS A SIMPLER MENU�SAUERKRAUT, PICKLES, HERRING, ZZAND
OCCASIONALLY SOMETHING ELSE, BUT ONLY IN MODERATION." IN THE FINAL
ANALYSIS, IN LUKIN'S OPINION, 22MANKIND HAS NEVER INVENTED ANYTHING
BETTER THAN A GLASS OF VODKA AND A BITE OF PICKLED HERRING.**
E1M19. C22MJUDGING BY ALL INDICATIONS, THESE PREFERENCES ARE NOT ONLY A
MATTER OF GASTRONOMICAL TASTES, BUT ALSO EVOKE NOSTALGIC FEELINGS AND
MEMORIES OF THE AMBASSADOR'S YOUTH. IT IS IN THIS FAMILIAR ATMOSPHERE
THAT VLADIMIR PETROVICH HAS ALWAYS HAD MEETINGS WITH OLD FRIENCS.
THEY INCLUDE YURIY KARYAKIN (A 22LIFE1ONG FRIEND": THEY WERE EACH
OTHER'S AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES IN ELECTION CAMPAIGNS), PORTS
GRUSHIN, INSTITUTE FRIEND YULIY KIM, ILYA GAB, PETR GRIGORENKO, AND
PETP YAKIR�S1.;i4 GALAXY CF TALENTED INDIVIDUALS" (53-4) TALENTED PEOPLE
TRAVEL IN PACKS, AND SO DC REVISIDNISTS"). THE GROUP CNCE INCLUDED
THE LATE MERAP MAmAPDASHVILI faEST FRIEND").
C1P20.
AND KARYAKIN ONCF TICK LUKIN TO TAGA0A, 3U1 HE WAS
soFND TIME WITH THE Pg7ps=FDi 5:11/HPNNTii (HE HAD
RELATIONSHIP WITH G6Lrk4 VCLCHEX, OLEG TAFAXOV, AND
TO SERVE
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C220LEV DELYUSIN (A CLOSE' FEN' OF PET' LYUIMOV, THE SINOLOGIST)
MCRE LIKELY TO
A wcNrir-PFUL
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TO PREMIERE PERFORMANCES. MANY OF THEM STILL REMEMBER THE TIME WHEN
LUKIN WAS SENT BACK FROM CZECHOSLOVAKIA IN 1968 AND ZaDECLARED A
MORATORIUM" ON ALL VISITS TO FRIENDS SO THAT HE WOULD NOT GET ANYONE
INTO TROUBLE. WITHIN TWO DAYS HE HAD RECEIVED SOLICITOUS PHONE CALLS
FROM EVERYONE, ASKING WHY HE HAD NOT COME TO SEE THEM (THE FIRST TO
CALL WERE MAMARDASHVILI AND NEIZVESTNTY).
C1M21. C22MHIS LENGTHY FRIENDSHIP WITH ALEKSANDR SOLZHENITSYN ALLOWED LUKIN
TO ARRANGE FIRST FOR A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION AND THEN FOR WRITTEN
CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN SOLZHENITSYN ANC YELTSIN, RESULTING IN THE
DECISION THAT THE WRITER SHOULD RETURN TO HIS HOMELAND,
C1M22. C22MLUKIN'S SUCCESSES, HOWEVER, DI NOT MEAN THAT THERE ARE NO
PROBLEMS IN THE RUSSIAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON. JUST RECENTLY SEVERAL
QUALIFIED STAFFERS LEFT THE EMBASSY FOR VARIOUS REASONS AND WENT TO
WORK FOR AMERICAN FIRMS. THE LOW SALARY (AROUND 16,000 DOLLARS A
YEAR) WAS ONE OF THE REASONS. ALTHOUGH THE AMBASSADOR'S SALARY IS
ONLY SLIGHTLY HIGHER (AROUND 20,000 DOLLARS), LUKIN IS NOT
PREOCCUPIED WITH GETTING HIMSELF A RAISE. HE FEELS THAT THERE MUST BE
A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM, AND THIS IS WHY HE PROPOSED
A SYSTEM OF ASSOCIATE CONTRACTS FOP QUALIFIED MINISTRY OF FOREIGN
AFFAIRS SPECIALISTS: THE CONTRACT WOULD BE CONCLUDED FOR A SPECIFIC
SUM AND A SPECIFIC PERIOD, AND ANY VIOLATION WOULD HAVE LEGAL
CONSEQUENCES.
C1M23. C22MALTHOUGH THIS PLAN GOT LOST SOMEWHERE IN THE MINISTRY, ALONG
WITH SOME OF LUKIN'S OTHER. SUGGESTIONS�WHICH HAS GIVEN THE AMBASSADOR
CAUSE TO CRITICIZE HIS OWN MINISTRY� EVEN HIS DETRACTORS HAVE TO GIVE
HIM CREDIT FOR i@ADORESSING THE ISSUES" AND AVOIDING PERSONAL
ATTACKS. OF COURSE, AS HE SAYS, 2@SOMETIMES PEOPLE DO FEEL INSULTED,
BUT WHAT CHOICE DO I HAVE...? AFTER ALL, I AM ALSO STILL A DEPUTY AND
A MEMBER OF A COMMITTEE, ANC FCR THIS REASON I AM OBLIGATED TO
EXPRESS MY OPINIONS."
C1M24. C2ZMAS FOR THE OFFICE OF MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, LUKIN WILL NOT
DISCUSS THE MATTER SERIOUSLY: cia,THE OFFICE IS NOT VACANT. THE
PRESIDENT HAS TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT PERSON TO WORK WITH, IN LINE WITH
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE OVERALL SITUATION. HE HAS TO MAKE THIS
DECISION FOR HIMSELF. I HAVE NO GREAT THIRST FC)2 TITLES.'' HE WENT ON
TO IMAGINE THE CROWNING MOMENT OF HIS CAREER AS AN AMBASSAOOR: TF A
GOOD TEAM Cr'MES HERE, I WOULD LIKE TO PUT ON MY SKATES AND RECALL THE
;COD OLD DAYS. THEN I 62ULD SOLEMNLY CIRCLE THE RINK AND START THE
GAM= qY MAKING THE FIRST CEPFHCNIAL HCV=."
C1M25. E22 WHATEVER HAPPENS IN LUKTN'S CAREER IN THE FUTURE, HOWEVER. ALL
CF THE 0-:OPLE wHC KNOw HIM�FRIES AND ENEMIES�AGREE THAT HE HAS NOT
;0,114-c HIS HAIN N,J1vF YET.
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