Press Releases
Ambassador Burns Visits Siberia
September 12, 2006
On September 12, Ambassador William J. Burns began his latest tour of Siberia, which included visits to Irkutsk and Krasnoyarsk, linked by a brief stop along the shores of Lake Baikal.
A representative from Governor Aleksandr Tishanin's protocol office, Olga Skvortsova, along with Aleksandr Zubr, a representative of the Irkutsk office of Siberian Air, welcomed the Ambassador and his wife Ms. Lisa Carty to Irkutsk, and together they visited the site of the July 8th plane crash, where Ambassador Burns and Ms. Carty laid flowers in memory of the victims. During his meetings with public officials and discussions with the press, the Ambassador reinforced the importance of attracting additional American investment to the region, specifically focusing on fostering greater ties between the United States and the scientific and industrial centers in Siberia. They also discussed Irkutsk's regional economy, transportation infrastructure, and future plans for the development and protection of Lake Baikal. During their meeting, the Ambassador congratulated Governor Tishanin for his leadership and wished him success in the 4th annual Baikal International Economic Forum, which the Governor will host September 19-22.
Irkutsk has maintained a sister-city relationship with Eugene, Oregon since 1992. Since then, more than 436 people have participated in exchange programs with the United States. On September 12, the Ambassador visited the American Comer at the Irkutsk Regional Research Library to meet with alumni of U.S. government sponsored professional and academic exchange programs. He noted that participants in these programs play an essential role in building bridges between Russia and the United States and thanked the assembly for their continued work to foster mutual understanding between our two nations.
The Ambassador then met with students and faculty of the Irkutsk State Linguistic University, one of the few Russian universities with an American Studies Department. He spoke to a gathering of about 80 people about U.S.-Russian relations, where he reinforced the significance of the Memorandum of Understanding signed on the eve of the G-8 that outlines an "expansion of cooperation and exchanges in the field of education."
The Ambassador and Ms. Carty plan to make a brief stop along the shores of Lake Baikal, a World Heritage Site, and take a boat tour to see firsthand how the promotion of eco-tourism and sustainable development positively impacts efforts to preserve the environment.
While on his visit to Krasnoyarsk on September 15 Ambassador Burns met Sergey M. Sokol, Deputy Governor of Krasnoyarskiy Kray. They discussed opportunities for U.S. investment in the region, and Deputy Governor Sokol laid out his program for the development of regional industries such as energy, timber, and tourism. Ambassador Burns and Deputy Governor Sokol also discussed NGO activity, and the Ambassador complemented Krasnoyarsk Kray officials for their efforts in fighting corruption.