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The message reads, in part:

“This is a great and irreplaceable loss for our entire society. Mr Primakov was a figure of great scale and a person whose influence was recognised at home and abroad. He earned the respect of millions of Russians, who valued his broad-ranging work that always sought to defend our country’s national interests and benefit its people.

Mr Primakov was an outstanding statesman, talented scholar, and wise and charismatic diplomat. He made a tremendous contribution to modern Russia’s development. His enormous professionalism and management experience, deep knowledge and analytical mind, ability to persuade and firmness of character always found their place and use in the most responsible and difficult areas of work. No matter in what post, he always found effective solutions to the tasks at hand, and was dedicated to his work and to his homeland.”

Mr Primakov died in Moscow at the age of 85.

Yevgeny Primakov was a politician, public figure, and diplomat. He was one of Russia’s leading experts in oriental studies and a prominent scholar in the fields of the global economy and international relations. Mr Primakov was Prime Minister (1998–1999), Foreign Minister (1996–1998), and Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service (1991–1996).