A Prominent Russian Diplomat Alexander Gorchakov

Alexander Mikhailovich, Prince Gorchakov was born in 1798 in Estonia, the fifth child of Helen Frezen and Mikhail Gorchakov. He didn’t go to primary school but was educated at home by his mother. At the age of 13 Alexander entered the Imperial Lyceum in Tsarskoye Selo were he made friends with Alexander Pushkin.

In 1817 the young prince began his diplomatic career as a secretary of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Alexander Gorchakov had all qualities and skills necessary for diplomatic work: eloquence,wittiness, determination, circumspection, versatility and finesse that helped him to achieve top positions in diplomatic and political career. He spoke English and French languages and was good at history, literature and arts.

He became a member of the Russian delegations to the international congresses of Troppau, Laibach and Verona (1820-22). Despite the efforts of the foreign minister Count Karl Robert Nesselrode (who disliked the young man for his ambitions) to retard his advanvancement, he was appointed to posts in various Russian embassies in London, Rome, Berlin, Florence, Vienna, etc.

When Neselrode resigned as foreign minister after the Crimean War, Gorchakov was chosen as his successor(April 1856). He immediately embarked ona policy of reaffirmingRussia as a great European power and strove to establish cordialrelations with Prussia and Austria.

In 1863 Gorchakov smoothed the way for the occupation of Holstein by the Federal troops because it was favorable to Austria and Prussia. At the same time such maneuver gained all the substantial advantages for Russia. When the Franco-German War of 1870-1871 broke out Russia insisted on the neutrality of Austria. An attempt was made to form an anti-Prussian coalition, but failed because of cordial understanding between the German and Russian chancellors. In return for Russia’s service in preventing Austria from being given to France, Gorchakov was given a diplomatic support by Chancellor of Prussia Otto von Bismarck in the Eastern Questions. He managed to renouncethe prohibitions, placed on Russia after the Crimean War, against maintaining a war fleet in the Black Sea and fortifyingthe coastline. Gorchakov also brought Russia into a loose defensive alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary (Dreikaiserbund, or three Emperors’ League of 1873). This was one of the triumphs of Gorchakov’s career. Recognizing Gorchakov’s wisdom and courage, Axander the II rewarded him by naming him the post of imperial chancellor.

Alexander Gorchakov was married to Maria Urusova and had two sons: Mikhail Alexandrovich, prince Gorchakov and Konstantin Alexandrovich, prince Gorchakov. Both of them worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.

NOTES TO THE TEXT:

1. Prince – князь

2. a secretary of state – статс - секретарь

3. Troppau, Laibach and Verona (1820-22) – конгрессы в Троппау, Лайбахе и Вероне 1820-22гг.

4. Count Karl Robert Nesselrode –граф Карл Роберт фон Нессельрод (рус. Карл Васильевич Нессельрод) - министр иностранных дел России с 1816 по 1856 гг.

5. The Crimean War – Крымская или Восточная война (1853-1856)между Российской империей и каолицей в составе Британской, Французской , Османской империй и Сардинским Королевством

6. Holstein – Гольштейн - провинция Пруссии

7. Dreikaiserbund, or three Emperors’ League of 1873 – «Союз трех императоров» - соглашения между Россией, Германией и Австро- Венгрией, заключенные в 1873, 1881 и 1884 гг

8. Otto von Bismarck – Отто фон Бисмарк - князь, политический и государственный деятель, первый канцлер Германской империи

9. The Eastern Questions – Восточные Вопросы – международные конфликты конца XVIII – начала XX веков, связанные с борьбой европейских стран и США за раздел Османской империи и установление контроля над Балканами, Кавказом и др. территориями.

VOCABULARY PRACTICE

2. Match the words and phrases in bold to their meanings given below:

a.having a wide range of skills and abilities, able to change easily from one activity to another or be able to be used for many different purposes

b.having wisdom and showing quick and inventive verbal humor

c.providing (a place) with defensive works as protection against attack

d.thinking carefully about something before you say or do it

e.a delicate and skillful quality in the way you move or handle something;

f.make great efforts to achieve or obtain something

g.begin (a course or action)

h.warm and friendly

i.delay or hold back in terms of progress or development

j.confirming

k.beginning of war, fighting or any other undesirable things; started suddenly

l.a person or thing that succeeds another

m.the art of using language affectively

n.to deal successfully with a problem or difficulty; to lessen misunderstandings or irregularities

o.refuse to continue or recognize or abide by

3. Complete the following sentences with the correct words given below. Translate the sentences into Russian language (some words may be used twice):

fortify, successor, eloquence, cordial, strive, finesse, smooth, retard, circumspection, versatility, embark, reaffirm, renounce

1. In a statement, the Vatican said that during their “ ____________ conversations, the positive developments in bilateral relations were discussed and an agreement was reached to establish diplomatic relations between Malaysia and the Holy See”.

2. Peacekeepers are deployed to_______________existing truces or borders at the request of the government of a strife-torn country.

3. President Barak Obama hasn’t lost any of his_______________when it comes to describing the struggle going on in the lives of many Americans.

4. Welsh Labor MEP Derek Vaughan announced that he would _________________ to get the best deal for Wales.

5. The statement issued by the US state department said “Violence will not advance, but _______________, the hope for peace between Israelis and Palestinians, which currently is being pursued by the legitimate Palestinian government of President Abbas”.

6. European Union leaders have___________________their commitment to help Greece out of its current debt woes and maintain EU financial stability.

7. Gordon Brown resigned as prime minister. Newly appointed Prime Minister David Cameron and his deputy Nick Clegg were now free to ________________ on a journey into political unknown.

8. Col Gaddafi still believes he can _________________this situation.

9. Sonia Gandhi was propelled into the forefront of the Indian political scene as Rajiv was picked as the _________________to the Gandhi-Nehru crown.

10. It was Mr. Blair's "excessive_______________" that "caused Britain to miss the appointment" with the euro single currency.

11. ______________ of his talent as negotiator was recognized by the diplomatic community.

12. Germany is the biggest industrial power to ______________ nuclear energy, in a policy reversal for the governing centre-right coalition.

13. The House of Representatives’ leader Nancy Pelosi is expected to ensure enough Democrats vote for the bill to help _______________ its passage, analysts say.

LANGUAGE FOCUS