HIS Excellency Smirnov Nikolay, on Tuesday, presented his Letters of Credence to President Bharrat Jagdeo as the new Russian Ambassador to Guyana. And according to the Government Information Agency (GINA), he looks forward to continued bilateral trade and investment opportunities.
Nikolav told reporters of some of his focus areas which include encouraging the supply of commodities from Guyana that are difficult to find on the Russian market.
“I heard that your rum is quite good, exotic fruits among other things. Of course it’s not easy to arrange exportation but in this modern world it’s quite possible,” Ambassador Nikolay said.
Only one year ago, Guyana and Russia celebrated the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties in the fields of culture, education, and trade.
Ambassador Nikolay graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations and has since served in the diplomatic service, occupying different posts in the ministry and diplomatic missions abroad.
He worked abroad in the embassy of the USSR in the United States during the period 1974 to 1979 and 1981 to 1988. From 1993 to 1998, he served as  Consul General of Russia in Toronto, Canada.
Versed in English, Greek and French, the new Ambassador has been the Deputy Director of the Department of North America of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation since 2007