History of diplomatic relations
Formal diplomatic relations between Spain and Russia date back to the late eighteenth century, though there had been contacts between Portugal and the Russian Empire since the first half of the century. Trade was of particular interest, and records indicate that the Portuguese government approached Peter the Great in 1724, with offers to establish more formalised trade relations. Peter responded with a decree to appoint a consul to Lisbon to oversee trade links, but little information survives of this mission. [3] Trade however continued to develop, and by 1769, the first official consulate general was opened in Lisbon, with Hamburg banker João Antonio Borcher appointed as consul on 2 October 1769. With contacts developing, in 1778 an agreement was reached to establish formal diplomatic relations between the courts of Maria I of Portugal and Empress Catherine the Great. [4] The Portuguese ambassador, Francisco José Horta Machado, arrived in Saint Petersburg on 20 October 1779, and the first Russian ambassador, Count Maximilian Nesselrode arrived in Lisbon on 4 July 1780. [3] [5] The exchange of envoys continued throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and into the twentieth century. This included the period of the occupation of Portugal by troops of the First French Empire in 1807, and the transfer of the Portuguese court to Brazil that year. The Portuguese court, and the Russian diplomatic mission, was thereafter based in Rio de Janeiro until its return to Lisbon in 1821. [4]
There was a brief period following the 5 October 1910 revolution which overthrew the Portuguese monarchy and established the First Portuguese Republic, when Russia did not recognise the new government, but relations were restored with Tsar Nicholas II's official decree on 27 September 1911. [3] Relations were maintained following the February Revolution brought the end of the Russian Empire and the establishment of the Russian Provisional Government, but were broken off after the October Revolution and the Bolshevik seizure of power. [4] Diplomatic relations remained broken until 9 June 1974, when the Soviet Union established relations with Portugal. [6] The exchange of ambassadors resumed with the appointment of Arnold Kalinin [ ru ] on 26 July 1974. [6] Exchange of ambassadors continued throughout the rest of the existence of the Soviet Union. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Portugal recognised the Russian Federation as its successor state. Gennadi Gerasimov represented Russia until 1993, and since then ambassadors have continued to be exchanged between the two countries. [6] [7]
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