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Andrei Gromyko

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Diplomat

The Resume

    (July 18, 1909-July 2, 1989)
    Born in Staryya Gromyki, Belarus
    Soviet Ambassador to the United States (1943-46), United Nations (1946-48) and United Kingdom (1952-53)
    Soviet Foreign Minister (1957-85)
    Helped negotiate the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the ABM Treaty and SALT I

Why he might be annoying:

    He had no plans to be a diplomat, but was unexpectedly asked to fill one of the many openings in the Foreign Ministry created by Stalin's purges.
    His nicknames included Grim Grom for his usually dour demeanor and Mr. Nyet for his liberal use of the Soviet veto in the UN Security Council.
    His fondness for long speeches declaring the Soviet Union's peaceful intentions prompted then-Foreign Minister Alec Douglas-Home to interrupt and ask him to skip the Pravda editorials.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was the first member of his family to attend college.
    He was married to Lydia Grinevich for 57 years.
    He played an important role in getting Mikhail Gorbachev named Soviet leader, only to be rewarded by being kicked upstairs into the largely honorary position of Chair of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet.
    He was a tenacious negotiator with Henry Kissinger commenting, 'If you can face Gromyko for one hour and survive, then you can begin to call yourself a diplomat.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 9 Votes: 22.22% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 9 Votes: 77.78% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 13 Votes: 84.62% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 24 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 244 Votes: 65.16% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 15 Votes: 33.33% Annoying