AN Oxfordshire MP and a former British ambassador have paid tribute to the last leader of the Soviet Union, who died yesterday.
Mikhail Gorbachev’s death at the age of 91 has inspired an outpouring of tributes from political leaders.
Many made reference to the timing of his death during the worst period of relations between Russia and the West since the end of the Cold War.
John Howell, who represents Henley in the House of Commons and had met him on several occasions, said: “Sad that Gorbachev is reported to have died. I met him on several occasions and found him pleasant. He was an unreformed communist but truly a man you could do business with. Perestroika and Glasnost were fundamental and changed so much but not irreversibly as Putin is showing."
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Former British ambassador to Lebanon Tom Fletcher, who is principal at Oxford University’s Hertford College, said: “Over several years at Downing Street, I collected advice for my son, Charlie: I asked world leaders what they would say to themselves at 14 years old. Mikhail Gorbachev was quite emotional as he wrote his. His translator helped too.”
In the letter written in 2008 to Charlie, Mr Gorbachev wrote: “Dear Charlie, by the time you read this I may no longer be around, but I wish you a successful and joyful life.
“The success you take will ultimately be equal to what you put in.
“My best wishes for a life that makes a difference.”
Mr Fletcher worked for prime ministers Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron between 2007 and 2011, and the letter was written during his time as a foreign policy and Northern Ireland adviser in Downing Street.
Boris Johnson warned that the Kremlin is “intent on undoing the good” of Mikhail Gorbachev, as he paid a warm tribute to the legacy of the former Soviet leader.
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Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Mikhail Gorbachev is one of those people who changed the world and unquestionably changed it for the better. When you look at what he did to make Europe whole, free, to give freedom to the countries of the former Soviet Union – it was quite an extraordinary thing.
“And of course Mikhail Gorbachev is one of those people who triggered a change, a series of changes, that perhaps he didn’t anticipate.
“Maybe he paid his own political price for it, but when history is written, he will be, I think, one of the authors of fantastic change for the better in the world.”
Mr Gorbachev produced extraordinary reforms that led to the end of the Cold War.
Yesterday Russian news organisations quoted a statement from the Central Clinical Hospital as saying he died after a long illness. No other details were given.
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This story was written by Anna Colivicchi, she joined the team this year and covers health stories for the Oxfordshire papers.
Get in touch with her by emailing: Anna.colivicchi@newsquest.co.uk
Follow her on Twitter @AnnaColivicchi