On March 1, at the age of 83, the first Minister for Foreign Affairs of Independent Ukraine Anatolii Maksymovych Zlenko passed away. The Government expresses its deepest condolences to the family and relatives on this irreparable loss.

Anatolii Zlenko began his career as an attaché of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Ukrainian SSR after graduating from Taras Shevchenko Kyiv State University in 1967.

He worked as the Permanent Representative of the USSR to UNESCO (1983-1987), the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN (1994-1997), the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the French Republic, the Portuguese Republic part-time, the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to UNESCO (1997-2000). He twice held the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (1990-1994, 2000-2003).

He received the degree of Candidate of Political Science, Honorary Doctor of the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

For his labor achievements and personal contribution to the formation of the diplomatic service and the development of international relations Anatolii Zlenko was awarded dozens of state awards and departmental awards, including the Order of Merit I and II degree, the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise V-II degree, the Order of Legion Honor of the French Republic, the Order of Merit of the Portuguese Republic, the Order of Honor of the Republic of Georgia.