Belarus’ top diplomat, ally to president, dies at 64 https://t.co/b0V8jq4Nc2 — The New York Times (@nytimes) October 9, 2016
Ambassador Vadim Oksanaev died on October 5 of brain cancer. The cause was undisclosed.
Earlier that day, a few days before his death, he addressed the UN General Assembly.
“I express my deepest condolences to the family of the deceased, to many friends, to all those who died in our country and to our U.S. colleagues. I am deeply saddened by this situation,” Oksanaev said. “It is a great loss for our people. I will not leave here and there. When I go to the grave of a dear person whom I love, I will do everything.”
“This is the first country in Europe, Asia and Africa,” the ambassador noted. “I want to tell the Ukrainian public our country is friendly, professional and strong. We are ready for the challenges of tomorrow.”
In his address, he praised Ukraine’s progress and said that the world should take advantage of the country’s positive example.
“That is why I would like to convey my heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased. They were a great person, a great patriot, a great diplomat, a great patriot… a great citizen,” he said. “It is a tragedy that one of our best citizens, a great diplomat, a great man, died today. This is the first country in Europe, Asia and Africa. “We have a great country. I want to tell the Ukrainian public that we are friendly, professional and strong. We are ready for the challenges of tomorrow,” he added.
He also spoke of the Ukrainian people’s great achievements and said that the country’s people had always looked for the path of “progress and growth.”
He also referred to Ukraine as a