Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Friends,

 

It is a great honour for me to be here again with you today to commemorate one of the proudest pages in our shared history when a hand of friendship and support was extended to my country at the darkest moments of the Second World War.

As a famous Russian writer Konstantin Stanukovich said «In ocean one must have a brave soul and a quiet conscience». The Arctic Convoys were not only a source of military and civil supplies, but a vivid justification that we were not alone fighting the Fascism, that Anti-Hitler Alliance exists not only on paper. And we know that when the war was over a sincere friendship and mutual appreciation between the Convoys veterans and Russian people were established and will  remain forever.

I am delighted that a special and distinguished guest has joined us today – my colleague, the Consul General of Germany, Mr Jens-Peter Woss. Let us not forget that the first nation, which fell victim to the nazism, were German people, that the first prisoners of concentration camps were German antifascists. German people went through a lot of suffering caused by the nazism. That is why during today’s wreath-laying ceremony we stand together to commemorate those who fought Fascism.

In Russia the Victory Day is a sacred day. Almost every family in our country has experienced a personal tragedy and loss in the Second World War (or as we call it the Great Patriotic War). All the veterans of this war are particularly respected and esteemed among younger generations. We at the Russian Consulate General in Edinburgh are doing our utmost to share this lasting admiration and respect with Scottish veterans of the Arctic Convoys.

Today we are here to say that their war efforts are not forgotten, that we will continue to work together to make it never ever happen again. In the time of peace the people-to-people contacts have a key role in forging a mutual understanding across borders. Together we must learn to respect each other and our rights to be different, not imposing someone else's rules of the game upon others by sanctions and megaphone diplomacy.

As my dear friend, late Geoffrey Shelton said “There is far, far more that ties us together than separates us”. He is still on patrol. A template with his name and photograph was carried by the attendees of the Immortal Regiment March from Trafalgar Square to Westminster Square on the 9^th of May.

I would like to use this opportunity to express our deep gratitude to the Russian Arctic Convoy Museum Project and all people from the local community who put so much personal effort to build up the Arctic Convoys legacy.

 

Thank you!