MOSCOW, October 20. /TASS/. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov believes that the Chinese wish "God forbid you to live in interesting times" is not suitable for Russian diplomats, because the current challenges play into their hands and mobilize them.

Lavrov told the university graduates who were hired for the first time into the diplomatic service that they joined the Foreign Ministry "at an interesting time. As the Chinese say, 'God forbid you to live in interesting times.' But we are not Chinese. Challenges are a boon to us, and we are always mobilized by the tasks that are becoming increasingly difficult."

"At the current stage, the Russian Foreign Ministry, and the entire foreign policy determined by the president of the Russian Federation, face very difficult tasks. These are not easy times. You will have to immerse yourself in multi·layered, multifactorial, and ultra·fast processes right away, without any warming up.

"If you are here, it means that you are determined, talented, and ambitious people. That’s good. You’re probably doing well in both languages and science. Now all this knowledge needs to be put into practice."

He promised that the new generation of diplomats would be supported by "both veterans and the Council of young diplomats."