Aleksandr Blokhin

Aleksandr Viktorovich Blokhin ( _ru. Александр Викторович Блохин) (born 12 January 1951)ru icon cite web
title = Блохин Александр Викторович
publisher = Information-Analytical Portal "Heritage"
url = http://www.nasledie.ru/naslHTTP/cs/OUT_DOC/ID/1458
accessdate = 2008-08-08 ] in Ivanovo, RSFSR, Soviet Union, is a diplomat and is currently the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Australia. [cite news
title = Russia 'no rogue state'
publisher = The Age
date = 7 September 2007
url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/leaders-to-sign-ndeal/2007/09/07/1188783452317.html?s_cid=rss_news
accessdate = 2008-07-30 ]

Blokhin graduated from the Ivanovo Power Institute in 1974, and for the next three years worked in various capacities at Fizpribor in Kirov. From 1977ndash1978, Blokhin was attached to the USSR Ministry of Defence, and from 1983ndash1990 was the chief engineer of the Shchelkovo Bioindustrial Complex. From 1990ndash1993, Blokhin was a People's Deputy in the Government of Russia, and since 1992 worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

His first ambassadorial appointment came in 1995, when he was appointed at Ambassador of Russia to Azerbaijan, a post he held until 1999. From January 2000 he was the Minister for Federal Affairs, Nationalities and Migration in Mikhail Fradkov's Cabinet, until October 2001 when the position was abolished.

In September 2002, he began his next ambassador post as Ambassador of Russia to Belarus, staying in Minsk until July 2005. On 10 December 2005, by decree of Vladimir Putin, Blokhin was appointed as Ambassador of Russia to Australia; a post he currently holds. Blokhin as Ambassador to Australia is concurrently accredited as the Russian ambassador to Fiji, Vanuatu and Nauru, since January 2006, February 2006 and March 2006, respectively.

Blokhin speaks Russian and English.

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