№ 31, 2024. The «Ves Mir» publishing house released the memoirs of Ambassador Yuri Nazarkin, «On the START. On Africa. On Life. Memoirs of a Diplomat,» as part of the PIR Library Series

MOSCOW. JULY 31, 2024. PIR PRESS. «We, the PIR Library Series editorial team, did not try to hide somewhat politically incorrect passages in the book. We wanted you to hear the author’s voice – for what it is – and the life of a diplomat – as it is. In Nazarkin’s memoirs, you will find few toasts but a lot of criticism. It will not resemble pensioner grumbling (oh, and the fervently ironic Yuri Konstantinovich is not even close to a bored pensioner!), but clear – and often direct and straightforward – critical judgments,» – from the Foreword by Dr. Vladimir Orlov, Founding Director of PIR Center, to the memoirs «On the START. On Africa. On Life. Memoirs of a Diplomat».

PIR Center is pleased to announce the release of Amb. Yuri Nazarkin’s memoirs (in Russian), “On the START. On Africa. On Life. Memoirs of a Diplomat.” The book is published in collaboration with the “Ves Mir” publishing house and with the support of the Presidential Grant Foundation as part of the PIR Center project “Global Security: A View from Russia for the Youth Around the World.”

Amb. Yuri Nazarkin is a former Russian diplomat and statesman: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the USSR and the Russian Federation, representative of the USSR at the Conference on Disarmament (1987-1989), head of the Soviet delegation to negotiations with the United States on nuclear and space weapons (1989-1991), Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation (1992-1995). The publication of the new book within the “PIR Library” series is timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the entry into force of the Strategic Offensive Arms Reduction Treaty, or START-I, which was achieved with the participation of Ambassador Nazarkin as head of the Soviet delegation at the respective Soviet-American negotiations. It was signed on July 31, 1991, and entered into force on December 5, 1994, enduring such significant turmoil as the Soviet Union collapse and the resolution of the issue of the Soviet nuclear legacy.

In his book, the author speaks about his professional development as a Soviet diplomat, the beginning of his diplomatic career, and working on the African continent; he talks about multilateral diplomacy and international negotiations on disarmament issues and shares his experience of participating in Soviet-American talks on nuclear arms control, including the time when he was heading the Soviet delegation during the drafting of the Strategic Offensive Arms Reduction Treaty (START I Treaty), signed in July 1991. Throughout the book, the author recalls personal life – fascinating adventures, funny childhood and adolescence stories, unforgettable student years, travel trips, and inner emotional concerns and conclusions ruled by a life full of both happy moments and dramatic events.

The book “On the START. On Africa. On Life. Memoirs of a Diplomat” will be insightful for a wide range of readers interested in nuclear nonproliferation and arms control, including the negotiation processes, the diplomatic service, and Russian diplomacy. International relations and global security experts will find it especially valuable.

The avant-premiere of the book took place at the PIR Center XXIII International School on Global Security. The memoirs’ official launch will take place at a series of events in Moscow and internationally between October and December this year, with December 5, 2024, the 30th anniversary of the START I Treaty, in mind. The book’s digital version is available in the respective section (in Russian) of the project “Oral History of Nuclear Nonproliferation.”

Some of our friends and colleagues have already shared their views and opinions about the book.

“I am glad for the opportunity to read the memoirs of my former boss (Geneva, from 1989 to 1991). I would strongly recommend the book by Ambassador Nazarkin to all those preparing for a diplomatic career or who are generally interested in international relations. The book presents the vividly written memoirs of a widely experienced and wise person, which allows us to understand the past and draw conclusions for the future,” – Dr. Dmitry Trenin, Senior Research Fellow at the Nonproliferation and Arms Control Sector of the Center for International Security of IMEMO RAS, Research Professor at HSE University, Academic Supervisor for World Military Economy and Strategy at HSE University, member of PIR Center Executive Board.

“The memoirs of Ambassador Nazarkin, released by PIR Center, are worth reading to anyone interested in the history of Russian diplomacy, including the hitherto unknown details of negotiations between Moscow and Washington on the arms control issues. Unlike colleagues from abroad, Soviet/Russian diplomats, unfortunately, write memoirs rarely; the more valuable and interesting books, such as Yuri Nazarkin’s memoirs, are,” – Dr. Elena Chernenko, Co-Chair of the Trialogue Club International, Special Correspondent of the Kommersant Daily, member of the PIR Center Executive Board.

“Yuri Nazarkin’s memoirs are an excellent example of the book of an old–school diplomat. It is full of humor and inner freedom. It uniquely illustrates the changes in the culture of the Soviet/Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (as well as the immutability of some features that inhibit development). Apart from vivid sketches of the traveler and notes of the meetings with prominent foreign politicians and diplomats, the author reveals the behind-the-scenes work on disarmament issues. In this respect, Nazarkin’s approaches can be useful to the current generation of negotiators,” – Dr. Dmitry Polikanov, Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo.

Key words: Oral history

NPR/HIS

F4 SOR – 24/07/31