Press Releases

Ambassador Burns Opens "America Days in Kaliningrad"

March 21, 2007

On March 20, U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation William J. Burns launched "America Days in Kaliningrad." Organized by the U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg, "America Days" offer residents of Kaliningrad a chance to meet with American diplomats and experience American culture. St. Petersburg Consul General Mary Kruger and several members of the Consulate staff are organizing outreach and cultural events, such as a photo exhibit and American film festival, and meetings with counterparts this week as part of a concentrated outreach visit to the westernmost part of Russia.

Highlighting the theme of the 200th Anniversary of U.S.-Russia diplomatic relations, Ambassador Burns opened the exhibit "Closer than We Think" at the Kaliningrad Municipal Library, and then met with young people who had studied in the United States on U.S. government-funded exchange programs. He also visited a plant that processes American poultry and met with foreign investors to discuss the opportunities and challenges such investors face in Kaliningrad, which is one of Russia's Special Economic Zones. Ambassador Burns ended his visit after meeting with Kaliningrad Governor Boos, where they discussed Kaliningrad's unique role as a bridge between Russia and the European Union, Kaliningrad's rapidly growing economy and its prospects as a recently designated tourist zone.