Andrei Gromyko: Difference between revisions

| office = [[List of heads of state of the Soviet Union|Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union]]

| deputy = [[Vasili Kuznetsov (politician)|VasiliVasily Kuznetsov]]<br>[[Pyotr Demichev]]

| children = 2, including [[Anatoly Gromyko|Anatoly]] and Emiliya

Gromyko held the office of the [[List of heads of state of the Soviet Union|Chairman]] of the [[Presidium of the Supreme Soviet]], literally head of state, which was largely ceremonial, and his influence in ruling circles diminished. A number of [[First World]] journalists believed Gromyko was uncomfortable with many of Gorbachev's reforms,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BVcNAAAAIBAJ&pg=6949,8130282&dq=andrei+gromyko&hl=en |title=Gorbachev takes reform plans to party plenum|date=25 June 1987|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|access-date=12 September 2010}}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> however, in his ''Memoirs'' Gromyko wrote fondly of Gorbachev and the policy of [[perestroika]]. Gromyko believed that perestroika was about working for the construction of a socialist society{{sfn|Gromyko|1989|p=70}} and saw [[glasnost]] and perestroika as an attempt at making the USSR more democratic.{{sfn|Gromyko|1989|p=265}}

Gorbachev succeeded Gromyko in office as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=n1YVAAAAIBAJ&pg=5744,3071609&dq=andrei+gromyko&hl=en |title=Demoted Politburo 'more equal'|author=McManus, Doyle|date=4 October 1988|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|access-date=12 September 2010}}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> After his resignation Gorbachev praised Gromyko for his half-century of service to USSR. Critics, such as [[Alexander Belonogov]], the [[Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations|Permanent Representative of the Soviet Union to the United Nations]], claimed Gromyko's foreign policy was permeated with "a spirit of intolerance and confrontation".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Wx8fAAAAIBAJ&pg=1376,2138096&dq=andrei+gromyko&hl=en|title=Soviet official critical of Gromyko in party newspaper|author=Parks, Michael|date=3 October 1988|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=12 September 2010}}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

After retiring from active politics in 1989 Gromyko started working on his memoirs.<ref name="gromykobio">{{cite web | script-title=ru:Громыко Андрей Андреевич | language = ru | publisher = hrono.ru | url = http://www.hrono.ru/biograf/bio_g/gromyko_aa.php | access-date = 8 October 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100920115916/http://www.hrono.ru/biograf/bio_g/gromyko_aa.php| archive-date= 20 September 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> Gromyko died on 2 July 1989, just 16 days before what would have been his 80th birthday, after being [[hospital]]ised for a [[Blood vessel|vascular]] problem that was not further identified.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Pall-bearers along towards MS Portrait of former Soviet Foreign... |url=https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/andrei-gromyko-funeral-ussr-moscow-novodevichy-cemetery-news-footage/1162931839 |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Getty Images |date=19 July 2019 |language=en-us}}</ref> His death was followed by a minute of silence at the [[Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union|Congress of People's Deputies]] to commemorate him. The Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union ([[TASS]]), the central news organ in the USSR, called him one of the country's most "prominent leaders". [[President of the United States]] [[George H. W. Bush]] sent his condolences to Gromyko's son, Anatoly.<ref name="AP">{{cite news|title=Andrei Gromyko Dies, Was Soviet Diplomat for 50 Years|url= https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/73885751.html?dids=73885751:73885751&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+04,+1989&author=David+Remnick&pub=The+Washington+Post+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Andrei+Gromyko+Dies,+Was+Soviet+Diplomat+for+50+Years&pqatl=google|date=4 July 1989|newspaper= [[The Washington Post]]|access-date=20 November 2010|author=Remnick, David }} (pay-fee)</ref> Gromyko was offered a grave in the [[Kremlin Wall Necropolis]], but at the request of his family he was not buried near the [[Moscow Kremlin Wall]] but instead at the [[Novodevichy Cemetery]].<ref name="gromykobio"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Novodevichy Cemetery|url=http://www.passportmagazine.ru/article/1099/|access-date=12 September 2013|work=Passport Magazine|date=April 2008}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

During his twenty-eight years as minister of foreign affairs Gromyko became renowned by his peers for being consumed by his work. Henry Kissinger once said "If you can face Gromyko for one hour and survive, then you can begin to call yourself a diplomat". Gromyko's work influenced Soviet and Russian ambassadors such as [[Anatoly Dobrynin]]. MashHistorians LewisGregory Elliot and GregoryMoshe ElliottLewin described Gromyko's main characteristic as his "complete identification with the interest of the state and his faithful service to it"., Accordinghelping to historians Gregory Elliot and Moshe Lewin this could help explain his so-called "boring" personality and the mastery of his own ego.{{sfn|Elliott|Lewin|2005|p=237}} [[West Germany|West German]] politician [[Egon Bahr]], when commenting on Gromyko's [[memoir]]s, said;{{sfn|Elliott|Lewin|2005|p=237}}

On 18 July 2009, the Republic [[Belarus]] ruled by [[Alexander Lukashenko]] marked the 100th anniversary of Gromyko's birth with nationwide celebrations. In the city of his birth many people laid flowers in front of his bust. A ceremony was held attended by his son and daughter, Anatoly and Emiliya. Several exhibitions were opened and dedicated to his honour and a school and a street in Gomel were renamed in honour of him.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ont.by/news/our_news/0045435/|script-title=ru:Беларусь отмечает 100-летие со дня рождения Андрея Громыко – дипломата с мировым именем|language=ru|publisher=[[Obshchenatsional'noe Televidenie]]|date=18 July 2009|access-date=11 September 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Andrey Gromyko|url=http://landofancestors.com/famous/politician/84-andrey-gromyko.html|work=Land of Ancestors|access-date=30 November 2012}}</ref>

[[Category:People from VietkaVyetka District]]

[[Category:Soviet Ministers of Foreignforeign affairs of the Soviet AffairsUnion]]