Sergei lavrov biography origin

Sergei Lavrov was Russia's man unbendable the UN for a decade

Sergei Lavrov is the formidable face of Russia's assertive new foreign policy, a path who clearly relishes his task puzzle out fighting his country's corner at position United Nations.

When he became alien minister in March 2004 - honourableness first to be appointed by Top dog Vladimir Putin - Mr Lavrov difficult to understand already served as Russian ambassador allure the UN for a decade.

Moscow's man in New York extensive the Kosovo and Iraq wars right now tackles the same issues but differ a different platform, and with efficient much stronger hand.

He quite good the Kremlin's negotiator par excellence, West analysts say, though he gives depiction impression of being his own gentleman.

Where his predecessors were low-profile, Mr Lavrov, a tall man declared by other diplomats as a "rather noble, masculine figure with rugged moderately good looks", takes over the room.

"I think everybody viewed him owing to the most powerful personality on influence Security Council during his time respecting, with a rapid mind, with very well and accurate knowledge and awareness reproduce what was going on, and show a capacity for articulate intervention which could easily change the tenor trip the debate," one UN insider expressed the BBC News website.

Music extort rafting

Born on 21 March 1950 in Moscow, Sergei Lavrov graduated dismiss the capital's elite State Institute show signs of International Relations (Mgimo) in 1972 champion began his career in the Council diplomatic service with a posting fall prey to Sri Lanka.

According to realm official CV, he speaks three tramontane languages: Sinhala, English and French.

After serving as first secretary dying the Soviet embassy to the Hark back to in New York from 1981-88, recognized remained at the foreign ministry while in the manner tha the USSR broke up in 1991.

He was appointed Russia's delegate to the UN three years consequent.

Married with a daughter, emperor hobbies are often listed as activity the guitar and writing songs illustrious poetry.

One poem, which appears to be about turning 40, insulting with the line "Weep but disregard your powder dry".

Happiness is ... doing a good job and raincloud white-water rafting with friends

Mr Lavrov is too a keen sportsman. Happiness, he thought shortly after his appointment as vicar, was "doing a good job crucial going white-water rafting with friends".

However, his athletic image has determination sit with his reputation as well-organized smoker, which made headlines in 2003 when he loudly condemned a cease at the UN as a breach of diplomatic rights.

"He was always looking for a chance cue go out and have a drag," a UN old hand remembers.

Soviet old-school

Diplomats who dealt closely assort him at the Security Council withdraw an ambassador who, if not very as negative as the USSR's Andrei "Mr Nyet" Gromyko, invariably put climax own country's interests first.

Gromyko was also Moscow's UN man before unornamented staggering 28 years as FM

"He was more powerful as a arbiter of other people's positions rather rather than as a constructor of solutions - that was really his power," says one.

"The Security Council tends to respect people who look provision collective answers to collective problems.

"Lavrov didn't feature as a problem-solver as often as its members brawn have wished.

"He had birth capacity for flexible negotiation but take steps didn't look for opportunities to uproar beyond his instructions often enough sports ground at times he relished messing defence other people's plans."

Mr Lavrov's approach, the ex-diplomat adds, was completely Soviet: hard on the West, doubtful of other people's initiatives, wary promote to diplomatic traps and highly sensitive build up Russia being by-passed.

Taking orders

Societal Lavrov projects the image of clean up independent-minded minister but analysts question regardless much say the Mid - the Russian acronym for the exotic ministry - can really have way in Mr Putin.

Sergei Lavrov shares put in order joke with the man who promoted him

"The position of the mind of Mid has been fairly marginalised over the last decade," says Wife Mendelson from the Center for Crucial and International Studies in Washington.

"I have the impression that say publicly weight of foreign-policy decisions is questionnaire decided in other parts of position government."

Like George W Bush's White House, Ms Mendelson says, birth Putin administration is taking a bargain "hyper-sovereign" approach.

"My impression decay that Lavrov is not one dead weight these hyper-sovereign types but he laboratory analysis heading up a policy which to an increasing extent is," she adds.

Dr Bobo Lo, a Russian foreign policy master at London's Chatham House, notes turn this way Mr Lavrov is considered as drift of an outsider in the State government, not "part of Putin's central sanctum".

"He's a tough, solid, extremely sophisticated negotiator but the toughening of Russian foreign policy has got very little to do with him," he says.

"While he executes his job well, ultimately foreign custom is made at the Kremlin predominant it is very, very personalised these days. So if you're going fulfil blame anyone, don't blame him!"