Russian President honours Dr Ragonesi

Dr Victor E. Ragonesi, who in his chequered career was a long-time close adviser and confidante to former Prime Minister George Borg Olivier, was honoured by the Russian President and government last Thursday for contributing to the strengthening of relations between the Russian Federation and Malta in a very unusual way.

In a short ceremony held at the residence of the Russian Ambassador in Kappara, and attended by members of Dr Ragonesi's family and a small number of other guests, the Ambas-sador, Valentin S. Vlasov, explained that the year about to end was remarkable for the continued strengthening of Russo-Maltese relations for two reasons.

The first was that last autumn, the book A Journeys through the Centuries: Historic Discoveries in Russo-Maltese Relations, published in 2002 by its general editor, Dr Elizaveta Zolina, the late lamented director of the Russian Cultural Centre in Malta (and printed by Progress Press), was published in its Russian version, and copies were presented to President Edward Fenech Adami by Ambas-sador Vlasov.

President Fenech Adami sent a copy of the Russian edition to President Vladimir Putin, and in an accompanying letter expressed the hope that relations between the two countries would continue to thrive.

In his reply to Dr Fenech Adami, President Putin described the book as another proof of the growing relationship between the two nations and peoples.

Ambassador Vlasov said that while the circulation of the English version of the book was limited to Malta, the Russian version was available in all 89 provinces, autonomous republics, regions, districts and territories of the Russian Federation, including Chech-nya! Some 500 universities and institutes also have copies. This wide distribution undoubtedly enables the average Russian citizen to become acquainted with Malta and its engrossing history, the ambassador said.

The Russian version of the book, which is a compendium of articles by authors from Malta, Russia and four other countries on various aspects of Russo-Maltese relations in the space of over five centuries, carries a foreword by UNESCO director-general Koïchiro Matsuura, in which he describes the book as "a fascinating historical example of how two nations, very different in size, culture and traditions, could develop cordial relations of mutual respect and enrich each other with their distinctive character and experience".

The second reason given by Ambassador Vlasov for the continued enhancement of Russo-Maltese relations last year was that Dr Victor Ragonesi had made a gift to the State History Museum of Moscow - from his personal collection - of some 50 prints and maps of Russia, Moscow and St Petersburg, mostly dating to the 18th century.

Dr Ragonesi reasoned that since the prints and maps are Russian, they should belong to Russia. The gift was enormously appreciated by the Russian government, Ambassador Vlasov said, and President Putin himself had written to Dr Ragonesi, formally expressing his gratitude for the gift, describing it as "a reflection of the feelings of friendship between the peoples of Malta and Russia".

It was his pleasure, therefore, Ambassador Vlasov continued, to present Dr Ragonesi with the original of President Putin's letter in a silver frame. He also presented a copy of the letter in a gilt folder. "Although the President Putin's letter is in Russian, the silver frame is Maltese," the ambassador joked, adding that receiving an official letter from the President of the Russian Federation is a first for a Maltese citizen.

Ambassador Vlasov also announced that the Russian Centre for International Scientific and Cultural Co-operation in Moscow had decided to honour Dr Ragonesi with its special medal in recognition of his gesture.

The Ambassador then invested Dr Ragonesi with the medal, in the presence of Sergei Medvedev, the director of the Russian Cultural Centre in Malta. Dr Ragonesi said he was "delighted and astonished" by what had just been said about him. He had always maintained that there are several factors binding Malta and Russia, and years ago had written that Europe will not be complete without Russia. The two countries, despite their huge dissimilarities, shared a number of things in common, among them art, culture, customs, music and history.

He said Malta - and the rest of the world - should appreciate President Putin's efforts to combat international terrorism.

Dr Ragonesi, while thanking the Russian President for his letter, said he would continue to strive for ever closer relations between the Maltese and Russian peoples.

Ambassador Vlasov then proposed a champagne toast in honour of Dr Ragonesi.