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Russian FM awards former Swiss president with Order of Friendship

Micheline Calmy-Rey EPA/PETER KLAUNZER
Micheline Calmy-Rey
© EPA/PETER KLAUNZER

GENEVA, March 03. /ITAR-TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday decorated the former Swiss president, Micheline Calmy-Rey, with the Order of Friendship.

“It is a great honor to award you with this Order to commend your merits in the development of Russian-Swiss relations,” Lavrov said, lauding the time when Micheline Calmy-Rey was the president and foreign minister of Switzerland.

Lavrov also gave the ex-president a bouquet of flowers.

Micheline Calmy-Rey, in turn, thanked the Russian foreign minister for the high award and presented  to Lavrov her book on Swiss diplomacy written in German.

The Order is a sign of recognition of Micheline Calmy-Rey’s contribution to strengthening friendship and cooperation between Russia and Switzerland. At present, she is professor of the Institute of Europe of the University of Geneva (IEUG).