15 February 2018
Dear Lubbers' family members and Ruud’s friends,It is with great sadness that I have learned of the loss of Ruud. I have not just lost a colleague. I have lost a real friend.
Ruud Lubbers served his nation and the world in many capacities.
Being a real statesman, Ruud was quick to realise the threats to humanity posed by the weapons of mass destruction during the era of the Cold War. He invested considerable time and effort in helping to build peace during times of confrontation.
He was also a true visionary and leader in improving humanity’s relationship to and care for the environment, and I feel proud of having him as my partner and friend in both these fields.
Above all, he will be remembered for his great vision, the wealth of experience and the positive approach he brought to challenges that confront us.
Please accept my sincere condolences for the loss of Ruud Lubbers.
Mikhail Gorbachev
February 15th, 2018
|
The XXI century will be a сentury either of total all-embracing crisis or of moral and spiritual healing that will reinvigorate humankind. It is my conviction that all of us - all reasonable political leaders, all spiritual and ideological movements, all faiths - must help in this transition to a triumph of humanism and justice, in making the XXI century a century of a new human renaissance.
|
Русский |
