Public Remarks
Opening Remarks at the Seminar on Airline Operations to the United States
William J. Burns, U.S. Ambassador to Russia
Interstate Aviation Committee, Moscow, Russia, October 24, 2007
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning.
It's an honor to participate in this important seminar on international air transport. As all of you know better than I do, the expansion of commercial air transport plays an important role in the expansion of economic opportunities and in economic development in all our countries. We share your interest in opening up more foreign air transportation service to the U.S., and we hope this seminar will help accelerate that process.
We hope to strengthen our partnerships in aviation. Russia and America, for example, are working together very actively. Cooperation between Sukhoy and Boeing on the new Russian "Superjet" project is an impressive achievement, and we want to continue that process. Boeing has also sold 37 787 Dreamliner aircraft to Russian companies in recent months, and continues a very effective partnership with Russian engineers and designers at its Moscow Design Center. Much more is possible in the field of aviation cooperation.
As my colleagues will emphasize in greater detail, we are firmly committed to maintaining a strong record in America in aviation safety and security. Our task is to work together on these critical issues with partners around the world.
Again, thank you for your invitation to open this important conference. I wish you great success.