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New US Ambassador Huntsman to present credentials to Putin on October 3

The ceremony in which diplomatic credentials are presented to a head of state symbolizes the start of a diplomat’s work in the host country

MOSCOW, October 2. /TASS/. New US Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman will present credentials to President Vladimir Putin at a ceremony in the Kremlin on Tuesday, Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov said.

"The ambassador has arrived and will present (credentials) on October 3," Ushakov said.

The ceremony in which diplomatic credentials are presented to a head of state symbolizes the start of a diplomat’s work in the host country. These events are traditionally held in the Kremlin about two to three times a year. Ten to 20 ambassadors who came to Russia in the recent weeks are invited to the ceremony. The president welcomes them and gives them a short speech.

The US ambassador together with his wife Mary Kaye arrived in Moscow on Monday.

Huntsman, 57, has a bachelor’s degree in international politics from the University of Pennsylvania and has worked in the administrations of five US presidents. In 1992, at the age of 32, he led the US diplomatic mission to Singapore, becoming the youngest American ambassador anywhere over the past 100 years.

In 1993-2001, Huntsman Jr. held a number of positions in his father’s Huntsman Corporation, a global manufacturer of chemicals. In 2005-2009, Huntsman was the governor of the conservative Utah state. In 2009-2011, Huntsman served as the US Ambassador to China.

In May 2011, Huntsman announced plans to fight for nomination as the Republican candidate for presidency. In January 2012, he withdrew from the Republican presidential race and officially backed Mitt Romney, who was then defeated by Democrat Barack Obama.