Dear Mr. President Ruslan Lopatiuč,

I learnt at a business trip to Helsinki last week that Dr. Valery Rikhledev at the secretariat for Eastern Europe and Central Asia has resigned as he prefers to concentrate on the UN programme.

Please allow me to congratulate you and to express how immensely I appreciate you and the fact that you accepted this post despite your knowledge of the problematics of the deaf in the former USSR. As you know the issues well you may be very helpful to both your country and others in the region.

I wish you a lot of success at your new post for the two years, and maybe more. I count myself among your friends as I have visited Moldova five, maybe six times and I do hope that Czech help will contribute towards your goals.

Thank you,

I wish you a lot of success and please do not forget your friendly cooperation with Deaf Hope and myself.

Yours sincerely
Roman Lupomesky