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[Trip of the First Lady to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, and Ukraine, November 9-18, 1997 - Briefing Papers] [loose]
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[Trip of the First Lady to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, and Ukraine, November 9-18, 1997 - Briefing Papers] [loose]
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Karen Finney's Files
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Withdrawal/Redaction Sheet Clinton Library DOCUMENT NO. SUBJECT/TITLE DATE RESTRICTION AND TYPE 001. list RE: Staff on UZ Government Plane (1 page) 00/00/0000 b(7)(C), b(7)(E), b(6) 002. list RE: Staff on Government Plane (1 page) 00/00/0000 b(7)(C), b(7)(E), b(6) COLLECTION: Clinton Presidential Records First Lady's Office Karen Finney (Press Office) OA/Box Number: 10673 FOLDER TITLE: [Trip of the First Lady to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, and Ukraine, November 9-18, 1997 - Briefing Papers] [loose] 2015-0734-S db3895 RESTRICTION CODES Presidential Records Act - [44 U.S.C. 2204(a)] Freedom of Information Act - 15 U.S.C. 552(b)] P1 National Security Classified Information [(a)(1) of the PRA] b(1) National security classified information [(b)(1) of the FOIA] P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office [(a)(2) of the PRA] b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of P3 Release would violate a Federal statute [(a)(3) of the PRA] an agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA] P4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or b(3) Release would violate a Federal statute [(b)(3) of the FOIA] financial information [(a)(4) of the PRA] b(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial P5 Release would disclose confidential advice between the President information [(b)(4) of the FOIA] and his advisors, or between such advisors [a)(5) of the PRA] b(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of P6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy [(b)(6) of the FOIA] personal privacy [(a)(6) of the PRA] b(7) Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement purposes [(b)(7) of the FOIA] C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed b(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of of gift. financial institutions [(b)(8) of the FOIA] PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C. b(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information 2201(3). concerning wells [(b)(9) of the FOIA] RR. Document will be reviewed upon request. Stephame Baker for suite / JAYCEE A. PRIBULSKY 11/07/97 05:45:02 PM Record Type: Record To: See the distribution list at the bottom of this message CC: Subject: conference call schedule for the weekend 8:30am ALMATY 9am BISHKEK 9:45am BUKHARA 10:30am TASHKENT thanks. jaycee. Message Sent To: Patricia Solis-Doyle/WHO/EOP Brenda B. Costello/WHO/EOP Michael A. O'Mary/OPD/EOP Steven A. Cohen/WHO/EOP Julie E. Mason/WHO/EOP Kelly Craighead/WHO/EOP Evan Ryan/WHO/EOP Julie O. Huffman/WHO/EOP Karen E. Finney/WHO/EOP Kaliningrad 30 32 40 RUSSIA Vilnins Smolensk Orsha LITHUANIA Tula Blk Olsztyn Hrodna Minsk DON Mahilyow Bialystok BELARUS RUSSIA Michurinsk Bryansk Baranavichy Babruysk Zhlobin Orel Warsaw Yelets Homyel Pinsk Luninyets POLAND Brest Mazyr Kursk Voronezh Shostka Radom Lublin Chemihiv Kovel Konotop Staryy Oskol Liski Chomobyl Sumy Luts'k Korosten Rivne Belgorod Pryluky Rzeszow 50 * 50 Kiev Zhytomyr Kharkiv L'viv Ternopil Bila Poltava Tserkva Khmel'nyts'kyy Cherkasy SLOVAKIA Vinnytsya Ivano- Frankivs'k Kremenchuk Uzhhorod Uman' Kramators * Dnipropetrovs' Luhans k Kirovohrad HUNGARY Chemivtsi Donets Pervornays'k Kryvyy Rih Beltsy Baia Mare Nikopol Zaporizhzhya Rostov Oradea MOLDOVA ROMANIA Taganrog Chininau Mariupol Mykolayiv Cluj-Napoda Melitopol Throw Berdyans'k Mures Traspol Kherson Odesa Sea of Sibiu Crimean AZOV Brasov Peninsula Galati Kerch Izmayil Krasnodar Yevpatoriya Simteropol Ukraine Feodosiya Novorossiysk Danube a Sevastopol International boundary Yalta Tuapse * National capital Constanta Railroad Road BULG. Black Sea 0 100 200 Kilometers Vama 0 100 200 Miles Lambert Conformal Conic Projection SP 47N/62N Boundary representation is not necessarily authoritative CUR REN ER SIO N- Ukrainian Hryvnia at 1.83 = U.S. $ Hryvnia to U.S. Dollars U.S. Dollars to Hryvnia Hryvnia U.S. $ U.S. $ Hryvnia 0.50 0.27 0.10 0.18 1.00 0.55 0.25 0.46 1.50 0.82 0.50 0.92 2.00 1.09 0.75 1.37 36.00 1.00 1.00 1.83 10.00 5.46 3.00 5.49 20.00 10.93 5.00 9.15 50.00 27.32 10.00 18.30 300.00 163.93 20.00 36.60 500.00 273.22 50.00 91.50 1,000.00 546.45 100.00 183.00 2,000.00 1,092.90 300.00 549.00 5,000.00 2,732.24 500.00 915.00 NOTE: All U.S. dollar values are rounded to the nearest U.S. cent. The value of the Ukrai- nian Hryvnia fluctuates daily according to currency market conditions. WISSON October 1997 18 DEPARTMENT U.S. Department of State Background Notes: Ukraine, June 1997 Official Name: Ukraine Profile Geography Area: 233,000 sq. mi.. Cities: Capital-- Kiev (pop. 2.6 million). Other cities--Kharkiv, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Lviv. Terrain: A vast plan bounded by the Carpathian mountains in the southwest and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Oziv in the South. Climate: Continental temperate. People Population (est.): 52 million. ationality: Noun--Ukrainian(s); adjective--Ukrainian. nnic groups: Ukrainians, Russians, Jews, Belarusians, Moldovans, Bulgarians, Poles, Hungarians, Romanians, Crimean Tatars. Religions: Ukrainian Orthodoxy, Ukrainian Greek Catholicism, Judaism, Roman Catholicism, Islam Languages: Ukrainian, Russian, others. Education: Literacy-100%. Health: Infant mortality rate-21/1,000. Life expectancy--65 yrs. males, 75 yrs. females. Work force: 24 million. Industry and construction-33%. Agriculture and forestry--21%. Health, education, and culture--16%. Transport and communication--7% Government Type: presidential-parliamentary. Independence: August 24, 1991. Constitution: First post-Soviet constitution adopted June 28, 1996. Branches: Executive--president, prime minister, cabinet. Legislative--450-member parliament, the Supreme Rada (members elected to four-year terms). Judicial--people's courts, regional courts, Supreme Court, and Constitutional Court. Political parties: wide range of active political parties, from leftist (communist and socialist) to center and center-right (Liberal, Democratic, Rukh, and Republican) to ultra-nationalist (UNA and OUN). Suffrage: Universal at 18. Administrative subdivisions: 24 provinces and 1 autonomous republic. WISSON Economy OP (est): $204 billion. nual growth rate: -14.2%. Per capita income: $3,900. 10 Natural resources: Vast fertile lands, coal, natural gas, various large mineral deposits, timber. Agriculture: Products--Grain, sugar. Industry: Types--Ferrous metals and products, coke, fertilizer, metallurgical equipment, diesel locomotives, tractors. Trade: Exports-$12.7 billion: coal, electric power, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, chemicals. machinery, and transport equipment. Imports--$15.3 billion: Machinery and parts, transportation equipment, chemicals, textiles. PEOPLE The population of Ukraine is about 52 million, which represents about 18% of the population of the former Soviet Union. Ukrainians make up about 73% of the total; ethnic Russians number about 20%. The industrial regions in the east and southeast are the most heavily populated, and the urban population makes up about 70% of the population. Ukrainian and Russian are the principal languages, but about 88% of the population consider Ukrainian their native language. The dominant religions are the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, much of which retains its links to the Russian Orthodox Church, and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Kiev Patriarchate) is independent of Moscow. The birth rate of Ukraine is diminishing. About 70% of adult Ukrainians have a secondary or higher education. Ukraine has about 150 colleges and universities, of which the most important are at Kiev, Lviv, and Kharkiv. About 70,000 scholars in 80 research institutes make Ukraine a leader in science and technology. HISTORY The first identifiable groups to populate what is now Ukraine were Cimmerians, Scythians, Sarmatians, and Goths, among other nomadic peoples who arrived throughout the first millennium B.C. These people were well known to colonists and traders in the ancient world, including Greeks and Romans, who established trading outposts which eventually became city states. Slavic tribes occupied central and eastern Ukraine in the sixth century A.D. and played an important role in the establishment of Kiev. Situated on lucrative trade routes, Kiev quickly prospered as the center of a powerful state of Kievan Rus. In the 11th century, Kievan Rus was, geographically, the largest state in Europe. A Christian missionary, Cyril, converted the Kievan nobility and most of the population in 988. Conflict among the feudal lords led to decline in the 12th century. Kiev was razed by Mongol raiders in the 12th century. Most of the territory was annexed by Poland and Lithuania in the 14th century, but during that time, the Ukrainian people began to conceive of themselves as a distinct people, a feeling which survived subsequent partitioning by greater powers over the next centuries. In addition, Ukrainian peasants who fled the Polish effort to force them into servitude came to be known as Cossacks and earned a reputation for their fierce martial spirit. In 1667, Ukraine was partitioned between Poland and Russia. In 1793, it was reunited as part of the Russian Empire. The 19th century found the region largely agricultural, with a few cities and centers of trade and learning. The region was under the control of the Austrians in the extreme west and of the Russians elsewhere. Ukrainian writers and intellectuals were inspired by the nationalistic spirit stirring other European peoples existing under other imperial governments and were determined to revive Ukrainian linguistic and cultural traditions and re-establish a Ukrainian nation-state. The Russians in particular imposed strict limits on attempts to elevate Ukrainian language and culture, even banning its use and study. When World War I and the Bolshevik revolution in Russia shattered the Hapsburg and Russian empires, Ukrainians declared independent statehood. In 1917 and 1918, three separate Ukrainian republics 2 of 10 declared independence. However, by 1921, the western part of the traditional territory had been incorporated into Poland, and the larger, central and eastern part became part of the Soviet Union. The Ukrainian national idea persevered during the interwar years, and Soviet reaction was severe, particularly under Stalin, who imposed terror campaigns, which ravaged the intellectual class. He also created artificial famines as part of his forced collectivization policies, which killed millions of previously independent peasants and others throughout the country. Estimates of deaths from the 1932-33 famine alone range from 3 million to 7 million. After the German and Soviet invasions of Poland in 1939, the western Ukrainian regions were incorporated into the Soviet Union. When the Germans invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, many Ukrainians, particularly in the west, welcomed them, but this did not last. German brutality was directed principally against Ukraine's Jews (of whom 1 million were killed) but also against many other Ukrainians. Kiev and other parts of the country were heavily damaged. Some Ukrainians began to resist the Germans as well as the Soviets. Resistance against Soviet Government forces continued as late as the 1950s. Little changed for Ukraine over the next decades. During periods of relative liberalization--as under Nikita Khrushchev from 1955 to 1964--Ukrainian communists pursued national objectives. In the years of perestroika, under U.S.S.R. President Mikhail Gorbachev, national goals were again advanced by Ukrainian officials. Ukraine became an independent state on August 24, 1991, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and was a founding member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS Ukraine is a parliamentary democracy with separate executive, judicial, and legislative branches. The resident nominates the prime minister, who must be confirmed by the parliament. The 450-member arliament (Supreme Rada) initiates legislation, ratifies international agreements, and approves the budget. Its members were elected to four-year terms in 1994. Following free elections held on December 1, 1991, Leonid M. Kravchuk, former Chairman of the Ukrainian Supreme Soviet, was elected president for a five-year term. At the same time, a referendum on independence was approved by more than 90% of the voters. Political groupings in Ukraine include former communists, socialists, agrarians, nationalists and various centrist and independent forces. Shortly after becoming independent, Ukraine named a parliamentary commission to prepare a new constitution, adopted a multi-party system, and adopted legislative guarantees of civil and political rights for national minorities. A new, democratic constitution was adopted on June 28, 1996, which mandates a pluralistic political system with protection of basic human rights and liberties. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by law, although religious organizations are required to register with local authorities and with the central government. Minority rights are respected in accordance with a 1991 law guaranteeing ethnic minorities the right to schools and cultural facilities and the use of national languages in conducting personal business. In Crimea and eastern Ukraine--areas with significant Russian minorities--Russian is permitted as a language of official correspondence. It is also recognized as an official language in Crimea. Ethnic tensions in Crimea during 1992 prompted a number of pro-Russian political organizations to advocate secession of Crimea and annexation to Russia. (Crimea was ceded to Ukraine in 1954, as a gift from Khrushchev to mark the 300th anniversary of Ukrainian union with Russia.) In July 1992, the Crimean and Ukrainian parliaments determined that Crimea would remain under Ukrainian jurisdiction hile retaining significant cultural and economic autonomy. Crimea held its first presidential elections in January 1994, electing Yuriy Meshkov, a Republican Party 10 of Crimea member advocating closer ties to Russia. The results of a non-binding poll on March 27, 1994, demonstrated voters' overwhelming support for greater powers for Meshkov, dual Russian-Ukrainian citizenship for Crimeans, and a treaty to govern relations between Crimea and Ukraine on a more equal basis. However, on March 17, 1995, the Rada abolished the 1992 Crimean constitution and dissolved the local presidency. Official trade unions have been grouped under the Federation of Trade Unions. A number of independent unions, which emerged during 1992, have formed the Consultative Council of Free Trade Unions. While the right to strike is legally guaranteed, strikes based solely on political demands are prohibited. A National Mediation and Reconciliation Service exists to regulate disputes between management and labor which cannot be resolved at the enterprise level. A new law on trade unions is under consideration. In July 1994, Leonid Kuchma was elected as Ukraine's second president in free and fair elections. Earlier, in March 1994, Ukraine elected its first post-independence parliament. The next elections are scheduled for March 1998 (parliamentary) and October 1999 (presidential). Security forces are controlled by the president, although they are subject to investigation by a permanent parliamentary commission. Surveillance is permitted for reasons of national security. Ukraine has established its own military forces of about 500,000 from the troops and equipment inherited from the former Soviet Union. It aims to reduce the force to between 250,000-300,000 by the end of the decade; considerable downsizing already has taken place. Principal Government Officials President--Leonid Kuchma Acting Prime Minister--Vasyl Durdynets Foreign Minister--Hennadiy Udovenko Ukraine maintains an embassy at 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 (tel. 202-333-0606) ECONOMY Ukraine has many of the components of a major European economy--rich farmlands, a well-developed industrial base, highly trained labor, and a good education system. Significant difficulties lie ahead, however. At present, the economy is in poor condition. While hyperinflation has been tamed, production continues to drop, and the standard of living for most citizens has declined more than 50% since the early 1990's. The new Ukrainian currency, the Hryvnia, was introduced in September 1996, and remained fairly stable. Most Ukrainian trade is still with countries of the former Soviet Union, principally Russia. Demand for Ukraine's non-agricultural exports-- ferrous metals, steel pipe, machinery, and transport equipment-- continues to fall. Forced to pay high prices for fuel, Ukraine continues to run large trade deficits. Ukraine imports 90% of its oil and most of its natural gas from Russia, though it is trying to find alternative sources. The Ukrainian authorities have been introducing market-price payment requirements for energy supplies to industry and homes in an effort to establish a "real cost" system of energy supply and payment. In early 1995, the government began to implement an ambitious privatization program which should transfer ownership of 8,000 medium and large-scale enterprises to private hands. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a $1.5-billion stand-by arrangement with the Government of Ukraine which should serve as the basis for continuing comprehensive economic reform. Ukraine encourages foreign trade and investment. The parliament has approved a foreign investment law allowing Westerners to purchase businesses and property, to repatriate revenue and profits, and to 4 of 10 receive compensation in the event that property is nationalized by a future government. kraine is rich in natural resources. It has a major ferrous metal industry, producing cast iron, steel, and steel pipe, and its chemical industry produces coke, mineral fertilizers, and sulfuric acid. Manufactured goods include metallurgical equipment, diesel locomotives, and tractors. It also is a major producer of grain and sugar and possesses a broad industrial base, including much of the former U.S.S.R.'s space industry. Although oil reserves are largely exhausted, it has important energy sources, such as coal and natural gas, and large mineral deposits. In 1992, Ukraine became a member of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. It is a member of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development but not a member of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade/World Trade Organization. Environmental Issues Ukraine is interested in cooperating on regional environmental issues. Conservation of natural resources is a high priority. It established its first nature preserve, Askanyia-Nova, in 1921 and has a program to breed endangered species. However, the country has significant environmental problems resulting from the Chornobyl nuclear power plant disaster in 1986 and from industrial pollution. Ukraine has announced that the Chornobyl Atomic Energy Station will be phased out and shut down by the year 2000; it has asked for financial help to achieve this goal and to provide alternative sources of energy for its population. Ukraine also has established a Ministry of Environment and has introduced a pollution fee system that levies taxes on air and water emissions and solid waste disposal. The resulting revenues are channeled to avironmental protection activities, but enforcement of this pollution fee system is lax. REIGN RELATIONS Through contacts with the countries of the West, Ukraine seeks to increase consultation and cooperation in areas such as defense planning; the conversion of defense production to civilian purposes; and COLIC scientific, economic, and environmental issues. Despite a November 1990 agreement to respect one another's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Ukraine's relations with Russia have been strained due to its concern over Russia's intentions. Although Ukraine became a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on December 8, 1991, it refused in January 1993 to endorse a draft charter strengthening political, economic, and defense ties among CIS members. Relations with Russia have improved somewhat with the late May signing of the bilateral Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. Also, the two sides have signed a series of agreements on the final division and disposition of the former Soviet Black Sea Fleet. On January 31, 1992, Ukraine joined the then-Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (now the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe--OSCE), and on March 10, 1992, it became a member of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. Ukraine also is an active member of Partnership for Peace. A document on "distinct relations" between NATO and Ukraine is to be signed this July in Madrid. Soviet Ukraine joined the United Nations in 1945 as one of the original members following a Western compromise with the former Soviet Union, which had asked for seats for all 15 of its union republics. Ukraine consistently has supported peaceful, negotiated settlements to disputes. It has participated in the RUSSIA quadripartite talks on the conflict in Moldova and has sent a battalion to serve with UN peace-keeping es in the former Yugoslavia. U.S.-UKRAINE RELATIONS 10 The dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 1991 brought an end to the Cold War and created the opportunity to build bilateral relations with the New Independent States (NIS) as they began a political and economic transformation. On December 25, 1991, the United States officially recognized the independence of Ukraine. It upgraded its consulate in the capital, Kiev, to embassy status on January 21, 1992. The U.S. ambassador to Ukraine is William Green Miller, sworn in on October 13, 1993. The United States attaches great importance to the success of Ukraine's transition to a democratic state with a flourishing market economy. Following a period of economic decline characterized by high inflation and a continued reliance on state controls, the Ukrainian Government under the leadership of then newly elected President Leonid Kuchma began taking steps in the fall of 1994 to reinvigorate economic reform and achieve macro- economic stabilization. The Ukrainian Government's new determination to implement comprehensive economic reform is a welcome development, and the U.S. is committed to strengthening its support for Ukraine as it embarks on this difficult path. In January 1992, the U.S. initiated the Coordinating Conference on Assistance to the New Independent States in response to the humanitarian emergencies facing these states. The resulting Operation Provide Hope supplied desperately needed food, fuel, medicine, and shelter. A cornerstone for the continuing U.S. partnership with Ukraine and the other NIS has been the Freedom for Russia and Emerging Eurasian Democracies and Open Markets (FREEDOM) Support Act, enacted in October 1992. In September 1993, a new $2.45-billion assistance package for the NIS, funded with a combination of fiscal year (FY) 1993 and 1994 supplemental appropriations, was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton. The legislation continues to address political and economic transformation and humanitarian needs. The U.S. has consistently encouraged Ukraine's transition to a free, democratic society with a prosperous market economy. The U.S. and Ukraine have signed a series of bilateral agreements designed to enhance economic, technical, environmental, and cultural cooperation. During the visit of former Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk to Washington on March 3-5, 1994, he and President Clinton reached agreement on an expanded economic assistance package that will provide up to $700 million to Ukraine: $350 million in technical and humanitarian assistance in FY 1994 funds; and $350 million in Nunn-Lugar funds (FY 1992-95 funds) to assist with nuclear dismantlement, non-proliferation programs, and industrial partnerships. Since 1994, Ukraine has become one of the largest recipients in the world of U.S. assistance. Assistance To Support the Transition to a Market Economy. U.S. technical assistance to support the transition to a market economy has focused primarily on economic restructuring, development of the private sector, and energy sector reform. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) printed millions of certificates to support Ukraine's plan for the mass privatization of state enterprises. U.S. advisers have provided technical assistance in financial sector reform, tax policy and administration, bankers' training, land legislation, small-scale and municipal services privatization, agricultural development and agribusiness, corporatization of the electric power sector, energy pricing and efficiency, and public education concerning the environment. The Western NIS Enterprise Fund, announced by President Clinton in January 1994 to promote private sector business development in Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus, has begun operations in Kiev. The U.S. also has played a leading role in mobilizing international support to help Ukraine cover its external financing gaps as it implements rigorous reform under IMF programs. The U.S. contribution of $100 million in late 1994 and pledge of $250 million in March 1995 helped leverage nearly $5 billion in IMF and other bilateral financing and debt relief. U.S. exchanges and training programs have enabled Ukrainians to participate in a broad range of programs in the U.S. These include coal mine safety, nuclear reactor safety, private land ownership and real estate markets, local government finance, banking, tax accounting, labor statistics, telecommunications, labor-management relations, promotion of agricultural development, security and defense conversion, international trade and investment, entrepreneurship and small business development, and public health and hospital management and finance. Three medical partnerships have 6 of 10 been established between U.S. and Ukrainian medical institutions. Peace Corps volunteers are working in Ukraine with a focus on small business development and English teaching. Funding also has been provided for studies in air traffic control and airport construction, establishment of an agricultural center to provide training on U.S. agricultural equipment, and the conversion of a coal- fired power plant to gas. The U.S. has also provided grain storage facilities. Assistance To Support the Transition to Democracy. The U.S. is promoting Ukraine's democratic transition by supporting programs on participatory political systems, independent media, rule of law, local governance, and civil society, as well as a wide range of exchanges and training. USAID has provided Ukraine with technical assistance related to elections, the development of political parties and grass-roots civic organizations, and the development of independent media. A USAID-funded rule-of-law consortium has been working with Ukrainian officials and non-profit organizations to create a legal system supportive of a democratic government and a market-based economy. The rule-of-law project has been further expanded to promote cooperation between U.S. law enforcement agencies and their Ukrainian counterparts to reform the criminal justice system. As of April 1995, the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) has brought nearly 800 Ukrainians to the U.S. on academic exchanges. About 90 Ukrainian business people, journalists, local government officials, and other professionals have participated in other exchanges. USIA visitor program participants included then-presidential candidate Leonid Kuchma in April 1994. USIA visitor programs have highlighted such subjects as economic and education reform, rule of law, and public administration. The Department of Commerce's Special American Business Internship Training (SABIT) program and the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Cochran Fellowship Program have brought nearly 100 business IS executives, scientists, and agriculturists to the U.S. for internships and training programs. Support for the Social Sector. The U.S. is assisting Ukraine's efforts to maximize equity in reform and to sustain social welfare and stability during and beyond the transition. Toward this end, USAID is providing assistance to local governments in redefining the roles of the public and private sectors in providing social services to allow government to focus limited resources on key social sectors. Training and technical assistance is being provided to Ukrainian institutions and government agencies on reforms of health care financing and delivery of medical services. A number of medical partnerships between U.S. and Ukrainian health care institutions have been established to improve both patient care and institutional management. Also, USAID is providing training and technical assistance on ways to improve reproductive health, focusing on providing family planning services and reducing the use of abortion. Humanitarian Assistance. Through the first half of FY 1995, the U.S. has coordinated and funded the delivery of $33 million in food, medical supplies, and clothing to Ukraine. This includes a $16-million surplus Department of Defense hospital recently delivered to Donetsk. Previously, the U.S. provided $25,000 in response to the January 1994 flood disaster in Ukraine's Zakarpatska oblast. In October 1993, $25,000 was provided in international disaster funding for the drilling of water wells in the flood-stricken area of Rivne. Operation Provide Hope has delivered food worth about $46,000 and medicines and medical supplies worth $16 million. A large portion of these supplies were designated for hospitals treating victims of the Chornobyl nuclear accident. Under the Medical Assistance Initiative, Project HOPE, a private voluntary 1 organization, has shipped more than $26 million worth of pharmaceutical and medical supplies to Ukraine. In response to an epidemic of diphtheria, the U.S. sent two assessment advisers from the Centers for Disease Control and vaccines, syringes, and needles with a value of $1.3 million under the Emergency fedicines Initiative. Under the Emergency Immunization Program, through Project HOPE, measles accine was provided, allowing for the vaccination of all Ukrainian children up to two years of age during 1993. In response to a 1994 request from the Ukrainian Government, the U.S. provided diphtheria vaccines for adults and children to help Ukraine eradicate this deadly disease. In FY 1994, USDA provided Ukraine with more than 70,000 metric tons of food aid--valued at about $24 million--and, in FY 1995, it will provide $25 million in PL 480 assistance. Bilateral Trade Issues The U.S.-Ukraine Trade Agreement, effective June 22, 1992, provides reciprocal most-favored-nation tariff treatment to the products of each country. Since January 1994, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) has approved investment insurance totaling more than $23 million for three projects in Ukraine. OPIC also has sponsored conferences and exchanges to encourage joint ventures between U.S. and Ukrainian companies. U.S. Export-Import Bank programs are currently closed in Ukraine, but the bank is continuing to reassess Ukraine's creditworthiness in light of recent government economic reforms with a view to reopening lending activities as soon as possible. In March 1994, Presidents Clinton and Kravchuk signed treaties on bilateral investment and double taxation. Security Issues In Lisbon on May 23, 1992, the United States signed a protocol to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, and Kazakstan (those states on whose territory strategic nuclear weapons of the former Soviet Union are located). The protocol makes each state a party to the START Treaty and commits all signatories to reductions in strategic nuclear weapons within the seven-year period provided for in the treaty. Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakstan also agreed to join the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as non-nuclear weapons states. The treaty entered into force on December 5, 1994, the same day Ukraine acceded to the NPT. The U.S. has pledged to provide about $300 million to Ukraine under the Nunn-Lugar program to assist in the dismantlement of strategic offensive arms ($205 million), defense conversion ($40 million), and nuclear material protection ($12.5 million). The U.S. also has pledged $10 million to assist in the establishment of a Science and Technology Center designed to provide peaceful employment opportunities to scientists and engineers formerly involved with weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. Principal U.S. Embassy Officials Ambassador William Green Miller Deputy Chief of Mission - James Schumaker Political Counselor - Vacant Economic Counselor - - Robert Boehme Commercial Officer - Andriy Bihun Consular Officer Walter Davenport Administrative Officer - Gary Bagley Public Affairs Officer - Robert Heath USAID - Gregory Huger The U.S. embassy in Kiev is at 10 Yuriya Kotsyubinskoho, 25203 (tel. [380] (044) 244-7345). TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program provides Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Consular Information Sheets exist for all countries and include information on immigration practices, currency regulations, health conditions, areas of instability, crime and security, political disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. posts in the country. Public Announcements are issued as a means to disseminate information quickly about terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas which pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Free copies of this information are available by calling the Bureau of Consular Affairs at 202-647-5225 or via the fax-on-demand system: 202-647-3000. Travel Warnings and 10 8 of 10 Consular Information Sheets also are available on the Consular Affairs Internet home page: http://travel.state.gov and the Consular Affairs Bulletin Board (CABB). To access CABB, dial the modem number: (301-946-4400 (it will accommodate up to 33,600 bps), set terminal communications program to N-8-1 (no parity, 8 bits, 1 stop bit); and terminal emulation to VT100. The login is travel and the password is info (Note: Lower case is required). The CABB also carries international security information from the Overseas Security Advisory Council and Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security. Consular Affairs Trips for Travelers publication series, which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a safe trip abroad, can be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. ts Government Printing Office, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954; telephone: 202-512-1800; fax 202-512-2250. Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained from the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at (202) 647-5225. For after-hours emergencies, Sundays and holidays, call 202-647-4000. Passport Services information can be obtained by calling the 24-hour, 7-day a week automated system ($.35 per minute) or live operators 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (EST) Monday-Friday ($1.05 per minute). The number is 1-900-225-5674 (TDD: 1-900-225-7778). Major credit card users (for a flat rate of $4.95) ar may call 1-888-362-8668 (TDD: 1-888-498-3648) Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at (404) 332-4559 gives the most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements, and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries. A booklet entitled Health Information for International Travel (HHS publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800. Information on travel conditions, visa requirements, currency and customs regulations, legal plidays, and other items of interest to travelers also may be obtained before your departure from a buntry's embassy and/or consulates in the U.S. (for this country, see "Principal Government Officials" listing in this publication). U.S. citizens who are long-term visitors or traveling in dangerous areas, are encouraged to register at the U.S. embassy upon arrival in a country (see "Principal U.S. Embassy Officials" listing in this publication). This may help family members contact you in case of an emergency. Further Electronic Information: Department of State Foreign Affairs Network. Available on the Internet, DOSFAN provides timely, global access to official U.S. foreign policy information. Updated daily, DOSFAN includes Background Notes; Dispatch, the official magazine of U.S. foreign policy; daily press briefings; directories of key officers of foreign service posts; etc. DOSFAN's World Wide Web site is at U.S. State Department Home Page; this site has a link to the DOSFAN Gopher Research Collection, which also is accessible at gopher://gopher.state.gov U.S. Foreign Affairs on CD-ROM (USFAC). Published on a semi-annual basis by the U.S. Department of State, USFAC archives information on the Department of State Foreign Affairs Network, and includes an array of official foreign policy information from 1990 to the present. Contact the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. To order, call (202) 512-1800 or fax (202) 512-2250. National Trade Data Bank (NTDB). Operated by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the NTDB WISSON contains a wealth of trade-related information. It is available on the Internet (www.stat-usa.gov) and on CD-ROM. Call the NTDB Help-Line at (202) 482-1986 for more information. IS of document] 10 U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs Washington, DC 20520 For recorded travel information, call 202-647-5225 Internet Address: travel. state.gov For Information by fax. call 202-647-3000 from your fax machine Consular Information Sheet UZBEKISTAN Ukraine iption: Ukraine is a newly independent nation undergoing profound political and change. still in the process of stabilizing its relations with neighboring countries. are not highly developed. and many of the goods and services taken for granted are not yet available. Travel within Ukraine is unrestricted. Travelers must. with Ukrainian authorities upon arrival, and may also be asked to present port and visa on demand by local police. drements: A passport and visa are required. Visas are obtained from the Embassy of ocated at 3350 M Street N.W., Washington D.C. 20007, tel. (202) 333-0606 or 333-7507. consulates in Chicago and New York, or at any Ukrainian embassy or consulate letter of invitation from a person, company. or organization in Ukraine or a tour required to obtain a visa. U.S. citizens and travelers from the United States where there is a Ukrainian embassy or consulate cannot obtain visas at or border crossings. Travelers must therefore ensure that the proper visa is obtained arriving in Ukraine. velers who intend to visit Russia from Ukraine must also have a Russian visa. The Embassy in Ukraine is located at Prospekt Kutuzova 8. Kiev. tel. (38) (044) 294-6701. Registration: All foreigners visiting Ukraine. except those staying less than three and minors (under 16). are required to register their passports with local law KYHGZ REPUBLIC This law is not uniformly enforced, but visitors who do not register when leaving Ukraine or difficulty when trying to extend visas. The juirement is automatically met when foreigners stay in hotels. when resident persons register their companies, or when students register under established exchange Private visitors must have their hosts. relatives. or landlords register their U.S. at the local "Section of Visas and Registration" office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs by the acronym "VVIR" in Ukrainian and "OVIR" in Russian). A fee is usually charged for extensions or passport registration. Facilities: Medical care in Ukraine is limited. The U.S. Embassy maintains a list of peaking physicians. Western-style polyclinics, and a list of pharmacies that offer and Western European supplies and medicines. The availability of basic medical including disposable needles. anesthetics, and antibiotics has improved. However, travelers and those with existing health problems may be at risk due to inadequate facilities. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. Travelers have in some cases, supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage. air evacuation coverage. has proved to be useful. Further information on health can be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's international hotime at tel. (404) 332-4559 or via the CDC home page on the Internet at www.cdc.gov. RUSSIA Crime Information: Inflation, unemployment. and the breakdown of the country's social fabric contributed to an ever-increasing and violent crime rate. Westerners. their vehicles. and are increasingly viewed by criminals as choice targets. The loss or theft abroad of a port should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. The Department of State's pamphlet "A Safe Trip Abroad" provides useful information on guarding valuables and protecting personal security while traveling abroad. Additional information on the region can be found in the brochure "Tips for Travelers to Russia and the Newly Independent States." Both publications are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. 20402. Traffic Safety and Road Conditions: Roads in Ukraine are in generally poor condition. Travel between cities at night and in the winter can be particularly treacherous. Carjackings of Western-made or foreign-registered cars is on the rise. There has been an increase in the number of documented reports of criminal acts occurring on trains, including gassings and robberies. Currency Regulations: Ukraine is a cash economy. Traveler's checks and credit cards are gaining wider acceptance in larger cities. Use of credit cards is limited to better hotels, Western-style restaurants, international airlines and select stores. Customs regulations prohibit sending cash. traveler's checks. personal checks; credit cards. or passports through the international mail system to Ukraine. These items are regularly confiscated as contraband by customs authorities. Changing U.S. dollars for Ukrainian hryvnia or another currency is legal only at banks, currency exchange desks at hotels. and at licensed exchange booths. Travelers must declare all cash and jewelry. regardless of value, upon entering Ukraine. Any undeclared items are subject to confiscation. Under customs regulations. travelers may bring up to 10,000 U.S. dollars into Ukraine without special permission; more than 10,000 U.S. dollars requires a written statement by the traveler. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties for possession. use, or trafficking in illegal drugs are strict and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines. Registration/ Embassy Location: Americans may register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy and obtain updated information on travel and security within Ukraine. The U.S. Embassy in Kiev is located at Vulitsa Yuria Kotsubinskoho 10. tel. (380) (44) 244-7343, 244-7345 or 244-7349. The U.S. Embassy's 24-hour emergency number (answered only in English after working hours) is (380) (44) 216-3805. No. 97-135 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet for Ukraine dated February 20. 1996, to update information on entry requirements. registration, currency regulations. traffic safety. and internet addresses. a William Green Miller U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Ambassador William Green Miller was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine on Sep- tember 16, 1993. Prior to his appointment, he served as Staff Director of the Select Committee on Intelligence, United States Senate, from 1976 to 1981. Prior to this position he had held two other Staff Directorships within the U.S. Senate (Staff Director, Select Committee To Study Governmental Operations With Respect to Intelligence Activities (1975-76); and Staff Director, Special Committee on National Emergencies and Delegated Emergency Powers (1973-75). He served also as Special Assistant to the Honorable John Sherman Cooper, United States Senate (1967-73). Ambassador Miller served at the Department of State after a 5-year tour in Iran, where he served as political officer (1962-64) in the U.S. Embassy Tehran and as vice consul and politi- cal officer at the U.S. Consulate, Isfahan (1959-62). In addition to 27 years with the U.S. Government, Ambassador Miller has 14 years of 5 experience in academia and the private sector. His positions in these fields include president and board member, The Committee on American-Russian Relations (1992-93); senior consult- ant, John and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (1992-93); president and board member, The International Foundation for the Survival and Development of Humanity (1988-92); president and board member, The American Committee on U.S.-Soviet Relations (1986-92); and, among others, Fellow, Institute of Politics, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (1986). Ambassador Miller received an award from the National Academy of Public Institution "For distinguished contributions and personal commitment to public service," in 1984. On February 21, 1981, the United States Senate honored Mr. Miller by passing Resolution 81 "For exceptional contributions and for his dedication, loyalty, integrity, and service to the Select Committee on Intelligence and to the Congress of the United States." He received a Com- mendable Service Award from the U.S. Department of State in 1962, while he was working Iran. Born on August 15, 1931, Ambassador received an undergraduate degree from Williams College and a master's in English from Oxford University. After attending Oxford, Ambassa- dor Miller enrolled in the Ph.D. program at Harvard University, where he completed work toward a doctoral degree in English. Ambassador Miller is married to Suzanne Lisle Miller and they have two sons. Ambassa- dor Miller speaks Russian, French, German, and Farsi. Key U.S. Officials in Kiev Deputy Chief of Mission James F. Schumaker Political Affairs Robert Patterson Economic Affairs John Bowen Administrative Affairs Gary Bagley Commercial Affairs Andrew Bihun Consular Affairs T.J. Rose Regional Security Affairs David Rittenhouse Public Affairs Mary Kruger 55 60 65 70 75 Embi Uzbekistan Shalqar Zhezqazghan International boundary Wiloyat or respublika Aral boundary KAZAKHSTAN * National capital Wiloyat or respublika capital Beyneu Railroad -45 Arel Road The C/TV or Tashkent iToshkent Shahm has status equal to that of a whoyat Qyzylorda 0 100 200 Kilometers 0 100 200 Miles Muynoq. QORAQALPOGHISTON a Lambert Conformal Conic Projection, SP 47N/62N Türkistan Bishkek Qunghirot RESPUBLIKASI Zhambyl Kara- Balta Nukus Shymkent KYRGYZSTAN Uchquduq TOSHKENT annument Dashhowuz NAMANGAN Urganch Shardara Tashkent NAWOIY Chirchiq ANDIJON Society Angren Namangano Jalal-Abad KHORAZM Andren Quoon Farghona JIZZAKH (Kokand)+ Osh 40 BUKHORO Guiston Khujand 40 NITIVE nw ODLIC Nawory KYRGYZSTAN Days Jizzakh SIRDARYO FARGHONA Bukhorous Suu SAMARQAND Samargand Zarafshon TURKMENISTAN Charjew, TAJIKISTAN Qarshi Dushanbe QASHQADARYO Retury Ashgabat Denow * Kulob Bojnurd Mary Qurghontenpa as eAred Khorugh Termiz bird Kashaf Murgap Deryasy SURKHONDARYO lued Rud Mashhad Mazar-e Konduz Sabzevar Sharif Neyshabur AFGHANISTAN Chitral IRAN Meymaneh Konduz PAKISTAN 35 Gushgy Darya. = Kabul Base 802201 (R00161) 8-94 NAZARISTAN CURREN CON V R SI Uzbekistani Som at 75.00 = U.S. $ Som to U.S. Dollars U.S. Dollars to Som Som U.S. $ U.S. $ Som 0.50 0.01 0.10 7.50 1.00 0.01 0.25 18.75 1.50 0.02 0.50 37.50 2.00 0.03 0.75 56.25 75.00 1.00 1.00 75.00 10.00 0.13 3.00 225.00 20.00 0.27 5.00 375.00 50.00 0.67 10.00 750.00 300.00 4.00 20.00 1,500.00 500.00 6.67 50.00 3,750.00 1,000.00 13.33 100.00 7,500.00 2,000.00 26.67 300.00 22,500.00 5,000.00 66.67 500.00 37,500.00 NOTE: All U.S. dollar values are rounded to the nearest U.S. cent. The value of the Uzbekistani Som fluctuates daily according to currency market conditions. October 1997 U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs Washington, DC 20520 For recorded travel information, call 202-647-5225 Internet Address: travel. state.gov C For information by fax, call 202-647-3000 from your fax machine Consular Information Sheet Uzbekistan October 29, 1996 Country Description: Uzbekistan is a newly independent nation in the midst of profound political and economic change. Tourist facilities are not highly developed. and many of the goods and services taken for granted in other countries are not yet available. Internal travel and travel to other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). including both air and land routes. can be erratic and disrupted by fuel shortages. overcrowding and other problems. Entry Requirements: A passport and visa are required. Private travel must be arranged in one of three ways: First. through a travel agency which has a relationship with Uzbektourism: second. via an invitation from a locally-registered firm or organization requesting visa issuance through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: or. third. via an invitation from an individual requesting visa issuance through his/her local Office of Exit. Entry. and Citizenship (OEEC). All three variations may take up to a month to process. Visas are issued at Uzbekistan embassies and consulates abroad or, in countries where Uzbekistan does not have diplomatic representation, at Russian embassies and consulates. Visas are also issued at arrival at Tashkent Airport. but only through the prior arrangement of the sponsoring organization or individual. The U.S. Embassy cannot act as a sponsor for private American travelers. zbekistan does not apply the 72-hour transit rule allowing travelers with other CIS visas to transit Uzbekistan. The U.S. Embassy recommends that all travelers. even those simply transiting Uzbekistan for less that 72 hours, obtain Uzbek visas before traveling to Uzbekistan. KYRGZ REPUBLIC Travelers without a proper visa cannot register in hotels and will be fined and required to leave the country immediately. Further visa information is available at the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan. 1511 K Street. N.W.. Suite 619. Washington. D.C. 20005; telephone (202) 638-4266. Registration Requirements: All travelers present in Uzbekistan for over three days must register with OEEC. the Office of Entry. Exit. and Citizenship. Hotel guests are registered automatically. but all other travelers are responsible for registering themselves. Visitors without proper registration are subjected to fines and possible harassment by local authorities. Visitors are required to carry a medical certificate proving they are not HIV infected. but this requirement is only sporadically enforced. Medical Facilities: Medical care in Uzbekistan is below western standards, with severe shortages of basic medical supplies. including disposable needles. anesthetics. and antibiotics. Most resident Americans travel to the west for their medical needs: such travel can be very expensive if undertaken under emergency conditions. Therefore. travelers may want to purchase supplemental overseas medical insurance which includes coverage for medical evacuations. Elderly travelers and those with existing health problems may be at particular risk due to inadequate medical facilities. Health Concerns: Travelers are advised to drink only boiled water and to peel all fruits and vegetables. and to avoid undercooked meat. Due to inappropriate sanitation conditions. travelers should avoid eating dairy products and most food sold in the streets. Further KAZAKHSTAN formation on health matters can be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and evention's international travelers hotline. telephone (404) 332-4559 or on the Internet at: http://www.cdc.gov. Crime Information: Uzbekistan has a low rate of violent crime, but common street crime has increased. especially at night. In urban areas, travelers may find it helpful to take the same precautions against crime that they would take in a large American city. The loss or theft of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and to the U.S. Embassy. The Department of State's pamphlet "A Safe Trip Abroad" provides useful information on safeguarding valuables and protecting personal security while traveling abroad. Additional information on the region can be found in the Department of State's brochure "Tips for Travelers to Russia." Both publications are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office. Washington. D.C. 20402. Currency Regulations: Most transactions are conducted on a cash-only. local currency (SOM) basis. Credit cards are accepted only at the main hotels and a few shops and restaurants; Traveler's Checks can be cashed only into SOM at the National Bank of Uzbekistan. Travelers may wish to bring sufficient dollars to exchange into SOM to cover their expenses. Old bills prior to 1990, those in poor condition (with tears, writing. or stamps). and those of high-denomination (one hundred and up) are often not accepted. Although payment in U.S. dollars is required for certain hotel charges. plane tickets, and visa fees. other transactions, as well as black market currency exchanges. are prohibited. General Standards of Conduct: Uzbekistan is an Islamic nation. Although modest Western-style clothing is appropriate in Tashkent. women should be prepared to dress conservatively in areas outside the capital. In rural areas, women in shorts. pants. short skirts. or sleeveless blouses risk harassment. Men do not wear shorts or sleeveless shirts in public. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties for possession. use, or trafficking in illegal drugs are strict and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines. Road Safety and Traffic Conditions: Uzbekistan is plagued by a deteriorating infrastructure system. Although roads in Tashkent are relatively well-maintained. many roads outside Tashkent and particularly those in the Tien Shan and Fan Mountains are in poor condition and may be passable only by four-wheel drive vehicles. Driving at night can be quite dangerous. as only the main roads in Tashkent are lit and rural roads and highways generally are not illuminated. Visitors are strongly urged to avoid driving at night outside of Tashkent. Livestock, farm equipment. and carts drawn by animals frequently are found on both urban and rural roads during the day and at night. Local drivers are not familiar with safe driving techniques and many drivers, particularly at night, are inebriated. Pedestrians in cities and rural areas cross streets at will. without looking for oncoming traffic. Uzbekistan has a large road police force. which frequently stops drivers for minor infractions or simple document checks. Foreign drivers may face harassment from road police. Aviation Oversight: As a result of an assessment conducted by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in December 1994. the FAA has found Uzbekistan's civil aviation authority to be in compliance with international aviation safety standards for oversight of Uzbekistani air carrier operations. For further information. travelers may contact the Department of Transportation at 1(800) 322-7873. Registration and Embassy Location: Americans are encouraged to register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Uzbekistan. The U.S. Embassy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan is located at at Ulitsa Chilanzarskaya, 82 in Tashkent. The main Embassy telephone number is (7-3712) 77-14-07; the Consular Section's direct line is (7-3712) 77-22-31. No. 96-181 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated July 25. 1995. to update entry and registration requirements. road safety and currency information. Joseph A. Presel U.S. Ambassador-Designate to Uzbekistan Joseph A. Presel was nominated as U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan on September 15. Prior to his appointment he served as Coordinator for Regional Affairs in the New Independent States and Special Negotiator for Nagorno-Karabakh, with the rank of Ambassador. That office was responsible for U.S. policy with respect to the conflicts in the former Soviet Union and for consideration of issues involving more than one of the newly independent states. A Senior Foreign Service officer, Ambassador Presel entered the Foreign Service in 1963. For most of his career, he has concentrated on the Soviet Union, Europe, and East-West relations, with particular emphasis on security issues and arms control. In addition to assign- ments in the State Department and the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (including as its Executive Secretary), Ambassador Presel has served abroad in Moscow, Belgrade, Vienna, Paris, and Ankara. He was Deputy Chief of Mission in Belgrade from 1985-89, returning to Washington as head of the office in the Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs responsible for arms control. Subsequently, he served as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of State for Science and Technology with responsibility for negotiations on supercomputers. From 1991- 93, Ambassador Presel was the Deputy U.S. Representative to the Negotiations on Conven- n KINGS REPUBLIC tional Forces in Europe in Vienna. Following his return, he became Deputy to the Coordinator for U.S. Assistance to the New Independent States. A native of Rhode Island, he graduated cum laude from Harvard in 1963. He later studied at St. Antony's College, Oxford University, and at the U.S. Army Russian Institute in Garmisch- Partenkirchen. In 1984-85, he was the first American Resident Fellow at the Institute for East- West Security Studies in New York. He speaks French, German, Russian, and some Turkish and Serbo-Croatian. he is a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Royal Institute of Asian Affairs. KAZAKHSTAN Key U.S. Officials in Tashkent Deputy Chief of Mission Joseph Limprecht Political/Economic Affairs John Fox Administrative Affairs Wayne Salisbury Commercial Affairs John Tucker Consular Affairs Heather McCullough Regional Security Affairs Robert F. Valente Public Affairs Karen Aguilar 08 0 30 60 90 120 150 180 U.S. NORT ATLANTA Chukchi Sea SVALBARD (NORWAY) ARCTIC OCEAN Provideniya Norwegian Wrangel Island UNITED KINGDOM Sea FRANZ JOSE Pevek Bering (AND East Siberian Sea NEW 180 Sea SIBERIAN Sea NORWAY ISLANDS Amsterdam Barents SEVERNAYA Cherskiy ZEMLYA DEN, SWEDEN Laptev U.S. NOVAYA ZEMLYA Sea Bothnia Murmansk GERMANY Kara Sea Stockholm FINLAND - Holsfuld Talline 3 Taki RUSSIA Belomorsk Dikson EST. POLAND Petropaviovsk- NORTH LITH.STAT. Patershing "Arkhangel'sk Magadan Kamchatskiy SLOV. Warsaw Naryan Orage PACIFIC Novgdrod Mar Konosha Vorkuta. Nonl'sk Sea OCEAN ISLING, t'viv BELARUS Smolensk Tver Salekhard Cash Okhotsk Vologda Kotlas of Igarka Yaraslayf Novyy Yakutsk Okhotsk Urengoy KURIL Kjev Bryansk Moscow Kostroma Nadym Vilyuysk ROMANIA ISLANDS Orel UKRAINE Kirov Ryazan Nizhney 5 Okha Sakhalin Nevgorod Island Occupied by Kharkiv Lensk Aldan Soviet Union in 1945, Odesa Constanta Voronezh bheysk Surgut administered by Russia, Penza Kazan Perm Khanty Mansiysk Nizhnevertovsk claimed by Japan. Neryungri Sevastopol Yekaterinburg Berezovy Sovetskaya Donets' Saratov Gaven 150 Samara Ufa Tobal sk Ust' Tynda Yuzhno (Tyumen Rostov Chelyabinsk 00 Never Urgal llimsk Sakhalinsk Lesosibirsk Askara Novorossiysk Volgograd Ust' Kut Cral Drenburg Kurgan Khaberovsk Tuapse Nizhneangarsk Birobidzhan Tomsk Kansk Bratsk 40 Drsk Petropavi Drisk ) Segoveshchensk Astrakhan Krasmoyarsk Atyrau Novosibirsi Chita Novokuznetsk Promon TURKEY GEO. Paviodar Abakan CHINA Barnaul Irkutsk Borzya Agmola Ulan Marbin Yerevan Aqtad Ude KAZAKHSTAN Kyzyl Viadivostok JAPAN SYRIA AZERBAMAN Semey Khasan Sea MONGOLIA Aral of Tabriz Sea Takyo Baku Late Japan Qyzylorda Nukus IRAQ Türkmenbashi Russia Shenyang NORT) (Krasnowodsk) UZBEKISTAN Baghdad TURKMENISTAN International boundary Railroad yongyidg Almaty my SOUTH Tehran Ashgabat Tashkent Urümqi * National capital Road Dalian Pusan Bishwok Charjew KYRGYZSTAN Sea IRAN 0 250 500 750 Kilometers Mashhade CHINA *Dushanbe 0 250 500 Kashi 750 Miles Qingdao SAUDI Kuwait TAJ. ARABIA Lambert Conformal Come Projection, SP 47/621 60 Herst AFGHANISTAN East China Sea Boundary is PAK. not necessarily authoritative 90 120 Base 801996 (R00183) 9.94 CUR REN o NV E R SI N- Russian Ruble at 5,815 = U.S. $ Ruble to U.S. Dollars U.S. Dollars to Ruble Ruble U.S. $ U.S. $ Ruble 0.50 0.00 0.10 581.50 1.00 0.00 0.25 1,453.75 1.50 0.00 0.50 2,907.50 2.00 0.00 0.75 4,361.25 5,815.00 1.00 1.00 5,815.00 10.00 5.46 3.00 17,445.00 20.00 10.93 5.00 29,075.00 50.00 27.32 10.00 58,150.00 300.00 163.93 20.00 116,300.00 500.00 273.22 50.00 290,750.00 1,000.00 546.45 100.00 581,500.00 2,000.00 1,092.90 300.00 1,744,500.00 5,000.00 2,732.24 500.00 2,907,500.00 NOTE: All U.S. dollar values are rounded to the nearest U.S. cent. The value of the Russian Ruble fluctuates daily according to currency market conditions. October 1997 Page 1 of 15 U.S. Department of State NW CIV3970 Background Notes: Russia, June 1997 Released by the Office of Russian Affairs. Official Name: Russian Federation Profile Geography Area: 17 million sq. km. (6.5 million sq. mi.); about 1.8 times the size of the U.S. Cities: Capital--Moscow (pop. 9 million). Other cities--St. Petersburg (5 million), Novosibirsk (1.4 million), Nizhniy Novgorod (1.3 million). Terrain: Broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains (Caucasus range) along southern borders. Climate: Northern continental, from subarctic to subtropical. People ionality: Noun and adjective--Russian(s). Population (1997 est.): 147.5 million. HERUBLIC - HUL 7 Annual growth rate: negative. Ethnic groups: Russian 81%, Tatar 4%, Ukrainian 3%, Other 12%. Religion: Russian Orthodox, Islam, Judaism, Roman Catholicism, Protestant, Buddhist, other. Language: Russian (official); more than 140 other languages and dialects. Education: Literacy--98% (total population). Health: Life expectancy--(1996) 58 yrs. men, 72 yrs. women. Workforce: 85 million (1993). Production and economic services--84%. Government--16%. Government Type: Federation. Independence: August 24, 1991. Constitution: December 12, 1993. Branches: Executive: president, prime minister (chairman of the government). Legislative: Federal Assembly (Federation Council, State Duma). Judicial: Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, Supreme Court of Arbitration, Office of Procurator General. Political Parties: shifting. The 1995-96 elections were contested by: Our Home is Russia, Russia's Democratic Choice, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, Agrarian Party, Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Unity and Accord, Yabloko Bloc, Women of Russia, Democratic Party of Russia, Russia Forward, Truth and Order, National Patriotic Bloc, Russia's Regions, Congress of KAZAKHSTAN Russian Communities. livisions: 21 autonomous republics and 68 autonomous territories and regions. frage: Universal at 18 years. Page 2 of 15 Economy (1996 est.) GDP: $555 billion. Growth rate: -6%. (1996) Per capita GDP: $3,740 (exchange rate method). Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, timber, furs, precious and non-ferrous metals. Agriculture: Grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, meat, dairy products. Industry: Complete range of manufactures (automobiles, trucks, trains, agricultural equipment, advanced aircraft, aerospace, machine and equipment products); mining and extractive industry; medical and scientific instruments; construction equipment. Trade: Total Russian exports (fob) in 1996: $87 billion--petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, woods and wood products, metals, chemicals. Major markets--EU, NIS, China, Japan. Total imports (cif) in 1996: $64 billion--machinery and equipment, chemicals, consumer goods, medicines, meat, sugar, semifinished metal products. Major partners--EU, United States, NIS, Japan, China. (These figures do not include "shuttle"--or informal, unrecorded trade). Principal U.S. exports: meat, machinery, tobacco ($3.34 billion--1996). Principal U.S. imports: aluminum, precious stones and metals, iron and steel ($3.6 billion-1996). PEOPLE Russia's area is about 17 million sq. km. (6.5 million sq. mi.). It remains the largest country in the world by more than 2.5 million sq. mi. Its population density is about 23 persons per square mile (9 per sq. km.), making it one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. Its population is predominantly urban. Most of the roughly 150 million Russians derive from the Eastern Slavic family of peoples whose original homeland was probably present-day Poland. Russian is the official language of Russia, and an official language in the United Nations. As the language of writers such as Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekov, Pushkin, and Solzhenitsyn, it has great importance in world literature. Russia's educational system has produced nearly 100% literacy. About 3 million students attend Russia's 519 institutions of higher education and 48 universities. As a result of great emphasis on science and technology in education, Russian medical, mathematical, scientific, and space and aviation research is generally of a high order. The number of doctors in relation to the population is high by American standards, although medical care in Russia, even in major cities, is far below Western standards. The Russian labor force is undergoing tremendous changes. Although well-educated and skilled, it is mismatched to the rapidly changing needs of the Russian economy. Millions of Russian workers are underemployed. Unemployment is highest among women and young people. As many as six million workers were temporarily furloughed in 1996. Many Russian workers compensate by working other part-time jobs. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the economic dislocation it engendered, the standard of living fell dramatically, but it has begun to recover. Moscow is the largest city (population 9 million) and is the capital of the Federation. Moscow continues to be the center of Russian Government and is increasingly important as an economic and business center. Its cultural tradition is rich, and visitors will find many museums devoted to art, literature, music, dance, history, and science. It has hundreds of churches and dozens of notable cathedrals; it has become Russia's principal magnet for foreign investment and business presence. St. Petersburg, established in 1703 by Peter the Great as the capital of the Russian Empire, was called Petrograd during World War I, and Leningrad after 1924. In 1991, as the result of a city referendum, it was renamed St. Petersburg. Under the tsars, the city was Russia's cultural, intellectual, commercial, financial, and industrial center. After the capital was moved back to Moscow in 1918, the city's political significance declined but it remained a cultural, scientific, and military-industrial center. The Hermitage is one of the world's great fine arts museums. Finally, 15 Page 3 of 15 Vladivostok, located in the Russian Far East, is becoming an important center for trade with the Pacific Rim countries. HISTORY Human experience in Russia's territory dates back to Paleolithic times. Greek traders conducted extensive commerce with Scythian tribes around the shores of the Black Sea and the Crimean region. In the third century B.C., Scythians were displaced by Sarmatians, who in turn were overrun by waves of Germanic Goths in the third century A.D. Asiatic Huns replaced the Goths and were in turn conquered by Turkic Avars in the sixth century. By the ninth century, Eastern Slavs began to settle in what is now Ukraine, Belarus, and the Novgorod and Smolensk regions. In 862, the political entity known as Kievan Rus was established in what is now Ukraine and lasted until the 12th century. In the 10th century, Christianity became the state religion under Vladimir, who adopted Greek Orthodox rites. Consequently, Byzantine culture predominated, as is evident in much of Russia's architectural, musical, and artistic heritage. Over the next centuries, various invaders assaulted the Kievan state, and finally, Mongols under Batu Khan destroyed the main population centers except for Novgorod and Pskov and prevailed over the region until 1480. Muscovite tsars threw off the Mongol influence and gradually expanded their domain through diplomacy and war, until Ivan III (1462-1505) was able to refer to his empire as "the Third Rome" and heir to the Byzantine tradition. The next 200 years saw the ebb and flow of regional conflict, until the Romanov dynasty was established under Tsar Mikhail in 1613. This dynasty ended with the killing of the Romanov family by the Bolsheviks in 1917. During Peter the Great's reign (1689-1725), Russia burst into European and world consciousness, and European influences spread in Russia. Peter created Western-style military forces, subordinated the Russian Orthodox Church hierarchy to the tsar, reformed the entire governmental structure, and established the beginnings of a Western-style education system. His introduction of European customs generated nationalistic resentments in society, and a philosophical duality of "Westernizers" and nationalistic "Slavophiles" emerged over the next centuries. This dualism manifested itself in various ways over time and since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 has re-emerged as a key dynamic of current Russian social and political thought. Peter's expansionist policies were continued by Catherine the Great, who established Russia as a IS continental power. During her reign (1762-96), power was centralized in the monarchy and administrative reforms concentrated great wealth and privilege in the hands of the Russian nobility. n Napoleon failed in his attempt in 1812 to conquer Russia after occupying Moscow; his defeat and the continental order that emerged following the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) set the stage for Russia and Austria-Hungary to dominate the affairs of eastern Europe for the next century. In the century preceding 1917, Russian culture flourished as Russian artists made significant contributions to world literature, visual arts, dance, and music. 1 During the 19th century, which saw great social, economic, and political change in the rest of Europe, the Western Hemisphere, and Asia, the Russian Government sought to suppress repeated attempts at reform from within as well as in such neighboring states as Austria. Its economy failed to compete with those of Western countries. Russian cities were growing without an industrial base to generate employment, although emancipation of the serfs in 1861 foreshadowed urbanization and rapid industrialization late in the century. At the same time, Russia expanded across Siberia until the port of Vladivostok was opened on the Pacific coast in 1860. The Trans-Siberian Railroad opened vast frontiers to development late in the century. Imperial expansion ended with Russia's defeat in the unpopular Russo-Japanese war in 1905. Page 4 of Subsequent disaffection fueled an uprising in 1905 which spurred Tsar Nicholas II to grant a constitution. The government suppressed opposition and manipulated popular anger into anti-Semiti pogroms and other actions against national groups. Attempts at economic reform, such as land reform, were incomplete. 1917 Revolution and the U.S.S.R. The ruinous effects of World War I, combined with internal pressures, sparked the March 1917 revolution. A provisional government came to power, headed by Aleksandr Kerenskiy. On November 7, 1917, the Marxist-Leninist Bolshevik party, led by Vladimir Lenin, seized control and established the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic. Civil war broke out in 1918 between Lenin's "Red" army and various "White" forces and lasted until 1920, when, despite foreign interventions, the Bolsheviks triumphed. After the Red army conquered Ukraine, Belorussia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia, a new nation was formed in 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The U.S.S.R. lasted 69 years. In the 1930s, tens of millions of its citizens were collectivized under state agricultural and industrial enterprises. Millions died in political purges, the vast penal and labor system, or in state-created famines. During World War II, as many as 20 million Soviet citizens died. The totalitarian control of the communist state which survived on the absence of basic freedoms and the repression of those who sought change robbed the people of the Soviet Union of opportunities to interact with the rest of the world and to develop their potentials. After 1949, the U.S.S.R. ranked as a nuclear superpower. First among its political figures was Lenin, leader of the Bolshevik party and head of the first Soviet Government, who died in 1924. In the late 1920's, Josif Stalin emerged as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) amidst intraparty rivalries; he maintained complete control over Soviet domestic and international policy until his death in 1953. His successor, Nikita Khrushchev, served as Communist Party leader until he was ousted in 1964. Aleksey Kosygin became Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Leonid Brezhnev was made First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee in 1964, but in 1971, Brezhnev rose to become "first among equals" in a collective leadership. Brezhnev died in 1982 and was succeeded by Yuriy Andropov (1982-84), Konstantin Chernenko (1984-85), and Mikhail Gorbachev, who resigned as Soviet President on December 25, 1991. On December 26, 1991, the U.S.S.R. was formally dissolved. The Russian Federation After the December 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation became its largest successor state, inheriting its permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, as well as the bulk of its foreign assets and debt. Boris Yeltsin was elected President of Russia by popular vote in June 1991. By the fall of 1993, politics in Russia reached a stalemate between President Yeltsin and the parliament. The parliament had succeeded in blocking, overturning, or ignoring the President's initiatives on drafting a new constitution, conducting new elections, and making further progress on democratic and economic reforms. In a dramatic speech in September 1993, President Yeltsin dissolved the Russian parliament and called for new national elections and a new constitution. The standoff between the executive branch and opponents in the legislature turned violent after supporters of the parliament tried to instigate an armed insurrection. Yeltsin ordered the army to respond with force to capture the parliament building (known as the White House). In December 1993, voters elected a new parliament and approved a new constitution that had been drafted by the Yeltsin government. Yeltsin has remained the dominant political figure, although a broad array of parties, including ultra-nationalists, liberals, agrarians, and communists, have substantial representation in the parliament and compete actively in elections at all levels of of 15 Page 5 of 15 government. itic In late 1994, the Russian security forces launched a brutal operation in the Republic of Chechnya against rebels who were intent on separation from Russia. Along with their opponents, Russian forces committed numerous violations of human rights; the Russian army used heavy weapons against civilians. Tens of thousands of them were killed and over 500,000 displaced during the course of the war. The protracted conflict, which received close scrutiny in the Russian media, raised serious concerns abroad as well as within Russia. id After numerous unsuccessful attempts to institute a cease-fire, in August 1996 the Russian and Chechen authorities negotiated a settlement that resulted in a complete withdrawal of Russian troops and the holding of elections in January 1997. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in st Europe (OSCE) played a major role in facilitating the negotiation. A peace treaty was concluded in May 1997 and the two sides agreed to conclude a final settlement by 2001. GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS bor ed. In the political system established by the 1993 constitution, the president wields considerable nd executive power. There is no vice president, and the legislative is subordinate to the executive. The to president nominates the highest state officials--including the prime minister, who must be approved by the Duma; he may dissolve the Duma if it repeatedly turns down his choice of prime minister. as The president can pass decrees without consent from the Duma. He also is head of the armed forces and of the national security council. iet Duma elections were in December 1995 and presidential elections June 1996. The Communist Party won a plurality of seats in the Duma; the pro-government party ("Our Home is Russia"), the liberal "Yabloko" bloc and the nationalists also won substantial numbers of seats in the legislature. In the a presidential election, Boris Yeltsin was reelected in the second round following a spirited campaign. he Both the presidential and parliamentary elections were judged generally free and fair by international observers. a Russia is a federation, but the precise distribution of powers between the central government and the regional and local authorities is still evolving. The Russian Federation consists of 89 components, including two federal cities, Moscow and St. Petersburg. The constitution explicitly defines the federal government's exclusive powers, but it also describes most key regional issues as the joint responsibility of the federal government and the Federation components. est e Judicial System Russia's judiciary and justice system are weak. Numerous matters which are dealt with by administrative authority in European countries remain subject to political influence in Russia. The Constitutional Court was reconvened in March 1995 following its suspension by President Yeltsin in nt October 1993. The 1993 constitution empowers the court to arbitrate disputes between the executive and legislative branches and between Moscow and the regional and local governments. The court is also authorized to rule on violations of constitutional rights, to examine appeals from various bodies, and to participate in impeachment proceedings against the president. The July 1994 Law on the Constitutional Court prohibits the court from examining cases on its own initiative and limits the ch scope of issues the court can hear. an In the past three years, the Russian Government has begun to reform the criminal justice system and ling judicial institutions, including the reintroduction of jury trials in certain criminal cases. Despite these efforts, judges are only beginning to assert their constitutionally mandated independence from other branches of government. n Human Rights Russia's human rights record remains uneven. Despite significant improvements in conditions following the end of the Soviet Union, some problem areas remain. Although the government has Page 6 of made progress in recognizing the legitimacy of international human rights standards, the institutionalization of procedures to safeguard these rights has lagged. Implementation of the constitutional provisions for due process and timely trials, for example, has made little progress. In addition, the judiciary is often subject to manipulation by political authorities and is plagued by larg case backlogs and trial delays. Lengthy pretrial detention remains a serious problem. There are credible reports of beating and torturing of inmates and detainees by law enforcement and correctional officials. Prison conditions fall well below international standards and, according to human rights groups, in 1996 between 10,000 and 20,000 prisoners and detainees died, most becaus of overcrowding, disease, and lack of medical care. Efforts to institutionalize official human rights bodies have been mixed. In 1996, human rights activist Sergey Kovalev resigned as chairman of the Presidential Human Rights Commission to protest the government's record, particularly the war in Chechnya. Parliament in 1997 passed a law establishing a "human rights ombudsman," a position that is provided for in Russia's constitution an is required of members of the Council of Europe, to which Russia was admitted in February 1996. The Duma, however, has been unable to agree on a candidate to fill this position. International human rights groups operate freely in Russia, although the government did hinder the movements and access to information of some individuals investigating the war in Chechnya. The government respects freedom of religion and the separation of church and state. In some region: however, local officials adopt policies that tend to favor the Russian Orthodox Church over the interests of minority faiths. In some cases, local authorities have hindered the activities of foreign missionaries. Although Jews and Muslims continue to encounter prejudice and societal discrimination, they have not been inhibited by the government in the free practice of their religion. High-ranking federal officials have condemned anti-semitic hate crimes, but law enforcement bodie: have not effectively prosecuted those responsible. The constitution guarantees citizens the right to choose their place of residence and to travel abroad. Some big-city governments, however, have restricted this right through residential registration rules that closely resemble the Soviet-era "propiska" regulations. Although the rules were touted as a notification device rather than a control system, their implementation has produced many of the same results as the propiska system. The freedom to travel abroad and emigrate is respected althoug] restrictions may apply to those who have had access to state secrets. Recognizing this progress, sinc 1994, President Clinton has found Russia to be in full compliance with the provisions of the Jackson-Vanik amendment. Principal Government Officials President--Boris Yeltsin Prime Minister--Viktor Chernomyrdin First Deputy Prime Ministers: Anatoliy Chubays Boris Nemtsov Deputy Prime Ministers: Alfred Kokh Yakov Urinson Vladimir Bulgak Anatoliy Kulikov Valeriy Serov Oleg Sysurev Key Ministers: Agriculture-Viktor Khlystun Civil Defense-Sergey Shoygu 5 Page 7 of 15 CIS Cooperation-Amangeldy Tuleyev Culture--Yevgeniy Sidorov efense-Igor Sergeyev Economic Affairs-Yakov Urinson Education-Vladimir Kinelev Environment and Natural Resources-Viktor Orlov Finance & Deputy Prime Minister-Anatoliy Chubays Foreign Affairs--Yevgeniy Primakov Foreign Economic Relations - Mikhail Fradkov Fuel/Energy-Boris Nemtsov Health-Tat'yana Dmitriyeva Internal Affairs-Deputy Prime Minister Anatoliy Kulikov Justice-Valentin Kovalev Labor-Oleg Sysuyev Nationalities--Vyacheslaw Mikhailov Atomic Energy-Viktor Mikhailov Science and Technology-Vladimir Fortov Transport-Nikolay Tsakh Ambassador to Washington--Yuliy Vorontsov Ambassador to the United Nations--Sergey Lavrov The Russian Federation maintains an embassy at 2650 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20007 (tel. 202-298-5700) and a consulate at 1825 Phelps Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-939-8907). Russian consulates are also located in New York, San Francisco, and Seattle. ECONOMY it has moved from a centrally planned economy toward a free market system, the Russian conomy has undergone considerable stress. The country has established new ties in the world economy while links to its traditional trade partners have diminished. Russia accounts for more than one-half of the population of the New Independent States (NIS) of the former Soviet Union and 60% of their total gross domestic product. GDP. GDP fell approximately 38.5% between 1992 and 1997, according to official statistics. While these numbers may not reflect significant economic activity in the unofficial economy, the trend has certainly been negative and did not reverse by the end of 1996. Unemployment (by ILO definition) was 9.3% of the work force in 1996, but this figure omits many who work reduced hours or are on involuntary or voluntary leave. Monetary Policy. Inflation rose to a peak of 30% per month by January 1993. Since then, monthly inflation has declined and by the end of 1996 ranged between 0 and 2% per month - marking the essential stabilization of the macroeconomy. Russia abolished the ruble zone in mid-1993, which forced other NIS republics to issue their own currencies. A currency corridor, and subsequently a crawling band mechanism, have been employed by the government since July 1995 to increase ruble stability and to help dampen inflationary expectations. The average exchange rate in 1996 was 5,120 rubles per U.S.$1. Government Spending/Taxation. The 1996 federal budget provided a strong underpinning for the government's stabilization program. However, severe revenue shortfalls resulted in a higher than expected deficit of 6.1% of GDP. The revenue shortfall situation is widely seen as due to a combination of factors: the fall in output; weak tax administration practices; an increase in the size of the gray economy; and a cumbersome tax system, including high rates which provoke evasion. domestic government securities (GKO) market has grown in line with government needs for non-inflationary financing, with total GKO's outstanding reaching just under 9% of GDP by Page 8 of December 1996. The draft 1997 federal budget called for a deficit of 3.5% of GDP (Ministry of Finance Definition, which is slightly lower than the IMF definition). Law. Lack of legislation in many areas of economic activity is a pressing issue. Taxation and business regulation are unpredictable, and legal enforcement of private business agreements is almost nonexistent. Many government decisions affecting business have been inconsistent. Crime in Russia has increased costs for local and foreign businesses. Natural Resources. With the mineral-packed Ural mountains and the vast oil, gas, coal, and timber reserves of Siberia and the Russian Far East, Russia is rich in natural resources. Most are located in remote and climatically unfavorable areas that are difficult to develop and are far from Russian ports. Oil and gas continue to be the main sources of hard currency. Russia is a leading producer and exporter of minerals, gold, and all major fuels. The Russian fishing industry is the world's fourth-largest--behind Japan, the U.S., and China. Russia accounts for one-quarter of the world's production of fresh and frozen fish and about one-third of world output of canned fish. Industry. Russia is one of the most industrialized of the former Soviet republics. Besides its resource-based industries, it has developed large manufacturing capacities, notably in machinery. Russia inherited most of the defense industrial base of the Soviet Union; converting it to civilian use is a major goal of the present government. Agriculture. Russia comprises roughly three-quarters of the territory of the NIS, but has relatively little area suited for agriculture, because of the arid climate and inconsistent rainfall. Northern areas concentrate mainly on livestock farming, and the southern parts and western Siberia produce grain. Agricultural production, chiefly grain and potatoes, accounts for more than one-half of that for the entire NIS. The transition from centrally planned to market economies requires a radical reform of agriculture, which has yet to take place. Investment. Cumulative foreign direct investment in Russia was estimated at $11 billion in 1995, according to Russian government statistics--a figure-far below its potential. The U.S. was the largest foreign investor, providing $2 billion of the total. 1996 figures are not yet available but there are no signs of significant new investment. Domestic investment also lags and is presently the greatest obstacle to renewed economic growth. Major areas of interest for U.S. investors have been in energy, food processing, telecommunications, and automobiles. Joint ventures between Russian and foreign firms account for an increasing share of Russian output and trade and are concentrated in the services sector. Trade. Russia has liberalized domestic trade and dismantled most non-tariff restrictions on foreign trade. State-subsidized imports were phased out in 1994, as was the system of quotas and licensing for exports. To bolster future foreign trade, Russia applied in June 1993 to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)--predecessor to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Russia's average weighted tariff is 13-14%. Russia has been running a trade surplus since 1993. Russia's trade is dominated by Europe; Germany and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe hold the lead. The U.S. is Russia's second largest trading partner, while China and Japan are Russia's largest Asian trading partners. Trade with the other NIS states is overwhelmingly in industrial products; Ukraine and Kazakstan are by far the most important trade partners. Russia continues to supply large amounts of energy to the NIS states at a discount, although it has tied government credits to debt repayment. Highlights From Russian Infrastructure Projects International Space Station. Russia and the U.S. are engaged in a joint flight program to lead to the development of the international space station. Key elements include: U.S. astronauts on board the Mir space station for approximately two years; up to 10 U.S. shuttle docking missions; and $400 million in contracts for the provision of hardware, joint technology, and on-board research support by U.S. firms. 15 Page 9 of 15 Sakhalin Island Development. The Marathon, McDermott, Mitsui, Mitsubishi, and Shell Sakhalin II consortium plan to develop large oil and gas fields offshore at Sakhalin Island in a $10 billion project. Timan Pechora Exploration. Texaco is involved in a $2.5 billion greenfield oil exploration project in the Timan Pechora region of the Komi republic. Civil Aviation. Russian manufacturers are using Western engines and avionics to bring the Russian civil fleet up to world standards. Civil Shipbuilding and Harbor Modernization. Russia seeks to modernize the St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, and other ports. Russian shipyards have built oil tankers, fishing trawlers, cargo ships, and pleasure craft. FOREIGN RELATIONS Russia has taken important steps to become a full partner in the world's principal political groupings. On December 27, 1991, Russia assumed the seat formerly held by the Soviet Union in the UN Security Council. Russia also is a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC). It signed the NATO Partnership for Peace initiative on June 22, 1994. On May 27, 1997 NATO and Russia signed the NATO-Russia Founding Act which provides the basis for an enduring and robust partnership between the Alliance and Russia, one that can make an important contribution to European security architecture in the 21st century. On June 24, 1994, Russia and the European Union (EU) signed a partnership and cooperation agreement. Russia has played an important role in helping mediate international conflicts through its co-sponsorship of the Middle East peace process and its support of UN and multilateral initiatives in the Persian Gulf, Cambodia, Angola, the former Yugoslavia, and Haiti. Russia is a member of the Contact Group; it has contributed troops to the NATO-led stabilization force in Bosnia. Russia has affirmed its respect for international law and OSCE principles. It has accepted UN and/or OSCE involvement in instances of regional conflict on its periphery, including the dispatch of observers to Georgia, Moldova, Tajikistan, and Nagorno-Karabakh. Defense Since the breakup of the U.S.S.R., the Russians have discussed rebuilding a viable, cohesive fighting force out of the remaining parts of the former Soviet armed forces. A new Russian military doctrine, promulgated in November 1993, implicitly acknowledges the contraction of the old Soviet military into a regional military power without global imperial ambitions. In keeping with its emphasis on the threat of regional conflicts, the doctrine calls for a Russian military that is smaller, lighter, and more mobile, with a higher degree of professionalism and with greater rapid deployment capability. Such a transformation has proven difficult. The challenge of this task has been magnified by difficult economic conditions in Russia, which have resulted in reduced defense spending. This has led to training cutbacks, wage arrears, and severe shortages of housing and other social amenities for military personnel, with a consequent lowering of morale, cohesion, and fighting effectiveness. The evidently poor combat performance of the Russian armed forces in the Chechen conflict in part reflects these breakdowns. The actual strength of the Russian armed forces probably falls between 1.4 and 1.6 million, with authorized strength several hundred thousand higher. Weapons production in Russia has fallen ramatically over the past few years; between 1988 and 1993, it fell by at least 50% for virtually every major weapons system. Weapons spending in 1992 was approximately 75% less than in 1988. Much of Russia's weaponry production is for sales to foreign governments. Page 10 of About 70% of the former Soviet Union's defense industries is located in the Russian Federation. A large number of state-owned defense enterprises are on the brink of collapse as a result of cuts in weapons orders and insufficient funding to shift to production of civilian goods, while at the same time trying to meet payrolls. Many defense firms have been privatized; some have developed significant partnerships with U.S. firms. The Russian military, for the foreseeable future, will play a role in determining Russia's internal stability and in formulating national policies. This role will be crucial to Russia in proceeding with political and economic reform and establishing a durable pattern of cooperation with the West. U.S.-RUSSIA RELATIONS The United States remains committed to maintaining a constructive relationship with Russia in which we seek to expand areas of cooperation and frankly air our differences without confrontation. The United States continues to support Russia's political and economic transformation as well as its integration into major international organizations. These steps, in conjunction with the massive reductions in nuclear weapons we have already achieved, have enhanced greatly the security of the United States. The intensity and frequency of contacts between President Yeltsin and President Clinton in 1997--in Helsinki, in Paris and in Denver--are indicative of the strong commitment to, and the necessity of, the U.S. and Russia working together on a broad range of issues--from European security to cooperation in reducing the treats that nuclear and chemical weapons pose to our nations to strengthening Russian/American economic interaction and especially the levels of American investment in Russia. Economic Relations Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission. Under the leadership of Vice President Gore and Prime Minister Chernomyrdin, the U.S. and Russia are working to advance bilateral cooperation through eight working committees and several working groups known collectively as the U.S.-Russian Joint Commission on Economic and Technological Cooperation or the Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission. The committees address issues in the fields of science and technology, business development, space, energy policy, environmental protection, health, defense conversion, and agriculture. In addition, the Commission provides a forum for high-level discussions of priority security and economic issues. The Commission last met in Washington in February 1997 and will meet again later in the year. Trade and Investment. At the March 1997 summit in Helsinki, Finland, Presidents Clinton and Yeltsin reemphasized the need to expand trade and investment. They signed a joint "Economic Initiative" aimed at stimulating Russian economic growth, deepening bilateral economic ties and accelerating Russian integration into the global economy and its primary multilateral organizations. President Clinton also announced substantial direct support for trade and investment through the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and the Export-Import Bank. In 1996, Russia ran a bilateral trade surplus with the U.S. of $221 million (based on U.S. exports of about $3.3 billion and imports of $3.5 billion). The 1992 U.S.-Russia trade agreement provides mutual most-favored-nation status and offers some intellectual property rights protection. In 1992, the two countries also signed treaties on the avoidance of double taxation and on bilateral investment. As of mid-1997, the Russian parliament, however, has not ratified the bilateral investment treaty, although it has been approved by the U.S. Senate. The U.S. actively supports Russia's efforts to join the World Trade Organization and Presidents Clinton and Yeltsin agreed at Helsinki to set 1998 as a target date for Russian accession to that institution. Military Issues 5 Page 11 of 15 NATO/Russia Founding Act. Russia signed the NATO Partnership for Peace initiative in June 1994. U.S. and Russian troops are serving together in the Implementation Force in Bosnia and its successor, the Stabilization Force. Building on these steps, NATO and Russia signed the NATO-Russia Founding Act on May 27, 1997, in Paris. The Act defines the terms of a fundamentally new and sustained relationship in which NATO and Russia will consult and coordinate regularly, and where appropriate, act jointly. Cooperation between NATO and Russia exists in scientific and technical fields. Agreements/Cooperation/Nuclear Arms. The U.S. and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation in September 1993 that institutionalized and expanded relations between defense ministries, including establishing a broad range of military-to-military contacts. The U.S. and Russia carried out a joint peacekeeping training exercise in Totskoye, Russia, in September 1994. Based on the January 14, 1994, agreement between Presidents Clinton and Yeltsin, the two nations stopped targeting their strategic nuclear missiles at each other as of May 30, 1994. U.S. and Russian security cooperation emphasizes strategic stability, nuclear safety, dismantling nuclear weapons, preventing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, and enhancing military-to-military contacts. At the Lisbon summit in 1992, the United States signed a protocol to the START I Treaty with Russia, Belarus, Kazakstan, and Ukraine--where the strategic nuclear weapons of the former Soviet Union were located--making the four countries party to the treaty and committing all signatories to reductions in strategic nuclear weapons within the seven-year period provided by the treaty. The treaty entered into force December 5, 1994. START II. On January 3, 1993, the U.S. and Russia signed the Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (START II). This treaty reduces overall deployments of strategic nuclear weapons on each side by more than two-thirds from current levels and will eliminate the most destabilizing strategic weapons--heavy intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and all other deployed multiple-warhead CBMs. At the September 1994 summit, the two nations agreed to begin removing nuclear warheads due to be scrapped under START II immediately, once START I takes effect and the START II Treaty is ratified by both countries, instead of taking the nine years allowed. At their May 1995 summit, Presidents Clinton and Yeltsin agreed on a set of principles that would guide further inscussion in the field of demarcation between anti-ballistic missile systems and theater missile defenses. They also agreed on steps to increase the transparency and irreversibility of nuclear arms reduction and committed not to use newly produced fissile materials or to reuse the fissile materials removed from nuclear weapons being eliminated and excess to national security requirements in nuclear weapons. The Russian Duma has not yet ratified START II. CFE. Following ratification by Russia and the other NIS, the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty entered into force on November 9, 1992. This treaty establishes comprehensive limits on key categories of military equipment--tanks, artillery, armored combat vehicles, combat aircraft, and combat helicopters--and provides for the destruction of weaponry in excess of these limits. Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR). Often called Nunn-Lugar assistance, this type of assistance is provided to Russia (as well as Belarus, Kazakstan, and Ukraine) to aid in the dismantling of weapons of mass destruction and to prevent the proliferation of such weapons. Over $600 million has been allocated for assistance to Russia during fiscal years 1996 and 1997 under this program and thirteen implementing agreements have been signed. Key projects have included assistance in the elimination of strategic offensive arms ($162 million), design and construction of a fissile material storage facility ($90 million), provision of fissile material containers ($50 million), material control and accounting and physical protection of nuclear materials ($45 million), and development of a chemical weapons destruction plan and provision of equipment for a pilot laboratory for the safe and ecure destruction of chemical weapons ($55 million). Under the CTR program, the U.S. is also assisting Russia in the development of export controls; providing emergency response equipment and training to enhance Russia's ability to respond to accidents involving nuclear weapons; providing Page 12 of 15 increased military-to-military contacts; and encouraging the conversion of Russian defense firms through the formation of joint ventures to produce products, including housing, for the civilian market. As part of the CTR program, the U.S. has awarded $20 million to a joint venture project involving an American housing firm and three Russian aerospace firms to construct housing for demobilized military officers. Portions of the Russian defense firms will be converted to the production of prefabricated housing systems and related products. In a multilateral effort (the European Union, Japan, and Canada are also involved), the U.S. has also provided $50 million to establish the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC), which provides alternative peaceful civilian employment opportunities to scientists and engineers of the former Soviet Union involved with weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. Principal U.S. Embassy Officials Ambassador vacant Charge d'Affaires - John F. Tefft Counselor for Political Affairs - John M. Ordway Counselor for Economic Affairs Clifford Bond Counselor for Commercial Affairs - John Peters Counselor for Consular Affairs Michael W. Marine (Susan Wood arrives summer 1997) Counselor for Administrative Affairs - John O'Keefe Counselor for Public Affairs - Robert R. Gosende Counselor for Science and Technology - John C. Zimmerman Director, U.S. Agency for International Development - Janet Valentine Senior Representative, Federal Aviation Administration - - Dennis B. Cooper Immigration and Naturalization Service - Anne Corsano Department of Energy - Robin J. Copeland National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) - Douglas Englund The U.S. embassy in Russia is located at Novinskiy Bulvar 19/23, Moscow (tel. [7] (095) 252-2451 through 59; fax: [7] (095) 956-4261). Consuls General Consulate General, St. Petersburg (Furshtatskaya Ulitsa 15, tel. [7] (812) 275-1701)--John Evans Consulate General, Vladivostok (Mordovtseva Ulitsa 12, tel. [7] (4232) 268-458/554)--Jane Miller Floyd Consulate General, Yekaterinburg (tel. [7] (3432) 60-11-43)--Howard Steers In Moscow, the U.S. Commercial Office is located at Novinskiy Bulvar 15 (tel. [7] (095) 255-4848/4660 or 956-4255, fax: [7] (095) 230-2101). In St. Petersburg, the U.S. Commercial Office is located at Bolshaya Morskaya Ulitsa 57 (tel. [7] (812) 110-6042, fax: [7] (812) 110-6479). U.S. Assistance to Russia U.S. assistance to Russia funded a variety of programs in the following key areas: private-sector development, privatization and enterprise restructuring, trade and investment, democracy initiatives, energy, health care, housing, and environment. Humanitarian assistance represented a major portion of U.S. aid during the initial transition phase in Russia, when there was a pressing need for food, medicine, and other essential commodities. U.S. efforts now concentrate on limited technical assistance, citizen exchanges and partnerships and direct support for trade and investment. To date, the U.S. government has provided a total of $4.7 billion in grant assistance to Russia ($2 billion in economic and technical assistance, $1.7 billion in humanitarian and food assistance, and $1 billion in security and weapons dismantlement assistance) and is supporting over $6 billion worth of financing and insurance. The annual level of economic and technical assistance for Russia has declined from a peak of $1.6 billion in 1994 to $95 million in 1997. U.S. Support for Russian Democracy and Development 15 Page 13 of 15 The U.S. Government has been in the forefront of delivering privatization assistance to Russia since October 1992. U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID has the principal responsibility for implementing technical assistance to Russia and the other New Independent States. In FY 1994, USAID devoted over $1.6 billion in assistance to help Russia develop democratic institutions and transform its state-controlled economy to one based on market principles. Programs are active in the areas of privatization and private sector development, agriculture, energy, housing reform, health, environmental protection, economic restructuring, independent media, elections, and the rule of law. The U.S. recently pledged $30 million to help Russia in its fight against crime and to support a new legal infrastructure. U.S. Export-Import Bank (Eximbank). Eximbank approved about $2 billion in loans, loan guarantees, and insurance for transactions in Russia from 1991 to March 1995. Of this total, more than $1 billion was approved under its Oil and Gas Framework Agreement. U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). OPIC provides loans, loan guarantees, and commercial and political investment insurance to American companies investing in Russia. As of FY 1996, OPIC approved more than $3 billion in investment financing and insurance for 125 ventures. Trade and Development Agency (TDA) and Department of Commerce. TDA has approved approximately $46 million in funding for feasibility studies on over 120 investment projects. Commerce Department. American Business Centers have been opened in St. Petersburg, Nizhnevartovsk, Novosibirsk, Volgograd, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Khaborovsk, Vladivostok, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, and Chelyabinsk to help U.S. and Russian companies do business in Russia. The Commerce Department has also established a Special American Business Internship Program (SABIT) in Russia, and an NIS business information system. Agricultural Credit. For 1997, the U.S. has authorized $120 million in export credit guarantees in connection with sales of U.S. agricultural commodities under a private banking sector program in Russia as part of the Commodity Credit Corporation's Export Credit Guarantee Program (GSM-102). U.S. Information Agency (USIA). USIA public diplomacy is active in the areas of promoting the growth of democracy and civil society, encouraging economic reform and growth of a market economy, explaining and building support for U.S. foreign policy objectives, and building understanding of U.S. society and culture. Professional and educational exchanges cover such diverse fields as journalism, public administration, local government, business management, education, political science and civics education. Over 20,000 Russians have participated in USIA-funded exchanges over the past five years. U.S. Department of Agriculture. A variety of technical assistance activities are coordinated by USDA under the Emerging Democracies Program. In March 1994, a U.S.-Russia Joint Commission for Agribusiness and Rural Development was established to channel funds generated by the sale of donated U.S. commodities to support private and social initiatives in rural communities throughout Russia. Eurasia Foundation. The Foundation--a private, non-profit, grant-making organization supported by U.S. funds--has disbursed more than $24 million in small grants to U.S. and indigenous organizations promoting reform in Russia and the other NIS. TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program provides Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Consular Information Sheets exist for all countries and include information on immigration practices, currency regulations, health conditions, areas of instability, crime and security, political disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. posts in the country. Public Announcements are issued as a means to disseminate information quickly about terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas which pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Free copies of this information are available by calling the Bureau of Consular Affairs at 202-647-5225 or via the fax-on-demand system: 202-647-3000. Travel Warnings Page 14 of 1 and Consular Information Sheets also are available on the Consular Affairs Internet home page: http://travel.state.gov and the Consular Affairs Bulletin Board (CABB). To access CABB, the modem number: (301-946-4400 (it will accommodate up to 33,600 bps), set terminal communications program to N-8-1 (no parity, 8 bits, 1 stop bit); and terminal emulation to V1.00. The login is travel and the password is info (Note: Lower case is required). The CABB also carries international security information from the Overseas Security Advisory Council and Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security. Consular Affairs Trips for Travelers publication series, which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a safe trip abroad, can be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954; telephone: 202-512-1800; fax 202-512-2250. Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained from the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at (202) 647-5225. For after-hours emergencies, Sundays and holidays, call 202-647-4000. Passport Services information can be obtained by calling the 24-hour, 7-day a week automated system ($.35 per minute) or live operators 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (EST) Monday-Friday ($1.05 per minute). The number is 1-900-225-5674 (TDD: 1-900-225-7778). Major credit card users (for a flat rate of $4.95) may call 1-888-362-8668 (TDD: 1-888-498-3648) Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at (404) 332-4559 gives the most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements, and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries. A booklet entitled Health Information for International Travel (HHS publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800. Information on travel conditions, visa requirements, currency and customs regulations, I holidays, and other items of interest to travelers álso may be obtained before your departure om a country's embassy and/or consulates in the U.S. (for this country, see "Principal Government Officials" listing in this publication). U.S. citizens who are long-term visitors or traveling in dangerous areas, are encouraged to register at the U.S. embassy upon arrival in a country (see "Principal U.S. Embassy Officials" listing in this publication). This may help family members contact you in case of an emergency. Further Electronic Information: Department of State Foreign Affairs Network. Available on the Internet, DOSFAN provides timely, global access to official U.S. foreign policy information. Updated daily, DOSFAN includes Background Notes; Dispatch, the official magazine of U.S. foreign policy; daily press briefings; directories of key officers of foreign service posts; etc. DOSFAN's World Wide Web site is at U.S. State Department Home Page; this site has a link to the DOSFAN Gopher Research Collection, which also is accessible at gopher://gopher.state.gov U.S. Foreign Affairs on CD-ROM (USFAC). Published on a semi-annual basis by the U.S. Department of State, USFAC archives information on the Department of State Foreign Affairs Network, and includes an array of official foreign policy information from 1990 to the present. Contact the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. To order, call (202) 512-1800 or fax (202) 512-2250. National Trade Data Bank (NTDB). Operated by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the NTDB contains a wealth of trade-related information, including Country Commercial Guides. It is avail on the Internet (www.stat-usa.gov) and on CD-ROM. Call the NTDB Help-Line at (202) 482- for more information. U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs Washington, DC 20520 For recorded travel Information, call 202-647-5225 Internet Address: travel. state.gov For information by fax. call 202-647-3000 from your fax machine Consular Information Sheet Russia May 2. 1997 Country Description: Russia is a nation undergoing profound political and economic change. Travel to the Republic of Chechnya and the immediate surrounding regions is extremely dangerous due to continued political tension in the area. While tourist facilities exist in Moscow and some other large cities, they are not developed in most of Russia, and many of the goods and services taken for granted in other countries are not yet available. Travelers may need to cross great distances, especially in Siberia and the Far East. to obtain services from Russian government organizations, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow or one of the three consulates in St. Petersburg. Yekaterinburg or Vladivostok. Entry and Exit Requirements: All Americans traveling to or transiting through Russia by any means of transportation must have a passport and visa. Travelers who arrive without a passport or entry visa may be subject to large fines. days of processing requirements imposed by Russian officials, and/or immediate departure by route of entry (at the traveler's expense). Visas, other than for transit purposes, are issued based on support from a Russian individual or organization - the sponsor. It is very important to know who your sponsor is and how he or she can be contacted. as Russian law requires that the sponsor apply for replacement. extension or changes to your visa. The U.S. Embassy cannot act as a sponsor. Tourists should contact their tour company or hotel in advance for information on visa sponsorship. All foreigners must have an exit visa to depart. For short stays, the exit visa is issued along with the entry visa. For longer stays, the exit visa must be obtained by the sponsor after the traveler's arrival. All travelers who spend more than three days in Russia must register their visa through their hotel or sponsor. Visitors who overstay their visa's validity. even for one day. or neglect to register their visa, may be prevented from leaving. Errors in dates or other information on the visa can occur, and ft is helpful to have someone who reads Russian check the visa before departing the U.S. Travelers should have all points of entry and all itinerary points in the Russian Federation printed on their visa, in order to avoid potential difficulties in registering their visas and lengthy delays in travel. Due to the possibility of random document checks by police, U.S. citizens should carry their original or photocopies of their passports and registered visas. Failure to provide proper documentation can result in detention and/or heavy fines. HIV Testing Requirement: Under a 1995 Russian law. any person applying for a visa for a stay of more than three months must present a certificate showing that the individual is HIV negative. The certificate must contain the applicant's passport data. proposed length of stay in Russia, blood test results for HIV infection, including date of the test, signature of the doctor conducting the test. medical examination results. diagnostic series, and seal of the hospital/medical organization. The certificate must be in both Russian and English and valid for three months from the date of medical examination and blood test. For information concerning entry. exit and HIV requirements. travelers can contact the Russian Embassy Consular Division, 1825 Phelps Place. NW. Washington, D.C. 20008. telephone (202) 939-8918. or the Consulates in New York, San Francisco or Seattle. Air Travel: Air travel within Russia is often unreliable. with unpredictable schedules and difficult conditions, including deterioration of the quality of service. Russian based airlines certified to operate internationally meet higher standards than domestic-only air carriers, yet they also fly to most domestic destinations. Areas of Instability: Travel to the Republic of Chechnya and the immediate surrounding regions is extremely dangerous due to continued political tension in the area. Two U.S. citizens have disappeared in Chechnya and remain unaccounted for. Chechen separatists and those sympathetic to their cause, have taken hostages on several occasions. In addition, public gatherings and demonstrations occur frequently in Russia, particularly in Moscow. Although such demonstrations are usually peaceful, travelers are urged to exercise caution when in areas where large groups are gathered. Traffic Safety and Road Conditions: Inclement weather and lack of routine maintenance make road conditions throughout Russia highly variable. Drivers and pedestrians should exercise extreme caution to avoid accidents, which are commonplace. Traffic police sometimes stop motorists to extract cash "fines". and bandits occasionally prey on travelers. Medical Facilities: Medical care is usually far below Western standards, with severe shortages of basic medical supplies. Access to the few quality facilities that exist in major cities usually requires cash, dollar payment at Western rates upon admission. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates maintain lists of such facilities and English-speaking doctors. Many resident Americans travel to the West for virtually all of their medical needs: such travel can be very expensive if undertaken under emergency conditions. Travelers may therefore wish to check their insurance coverage and consider supplemental coverage for medical evacuation. Elderly travelers and those with existing health problems may be at particular risk. The cost of a medical evacuation from the Russian Far East can be as high as $50,000. Further information on health matters can be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's international traveler's hotline at (404) 332-4559 or via the CDC home page on the Internet at http://www.cdc.gov. Crime Information: Crime against foreigners is a problem, especially in major cities. Pickpocketings, assaults and robberies occur day and night. The most vulnerable areas include underground walkways and the subway. overnight trains, train stations, airports, markets, tourist attractions, restaurants and hotel rooms and residences, even when locked or occupied. Groups of children are known to assault and rob foreigners on city streets or underground walkways. Foreigners who have been drinking alcohol are especially vulnerable to assault and robbery in or around night clubs or bars, or on their way home. Robberies may occur in taxis shared with strangers. Travelers have found It safer to travel in groups organized by reputable tour agencies. as solo travelers are more vulnerable to crime. The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. If you receive a replacement for your lost or stolen U.S. passport from the U.S. Embassy or a Consulate in Russia, your exit visa must also be replaced. with assistance from your sponsor, so that the passport number written on the visa matches your new passport. This requires a Russian police report. The Department of State's pamphlet "A Safe Trip Abroad" provides useful information on guarding valuables and protecting personal security while traveling abroad. Additional information on the region can be found in the brochure "Tips for Travelers to Russia and the Newly Independent States." Both publications are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office. Washington D.C. 20402. Crime Against Foreign Businesses: Extortion and corruption are common in the business environment. Organized criminal groups target foreign businesses in many cities and have been known to demand protection money under threat of serious violence. Many Western firms hire security services which have improved their overall security. although this is no guarantee. Small businesses are particularly vulnerable. Over the past several years, several American business people have been attacked. kidnapped and even killed. U.S. citizens are encouraged to report all extortion attempts to the Russian authorities and to inform consular officials at the U.S. Embassy or nearest consulate. Currency Exchange: The ruble is the only legal tender. It is illegal to pay for goods and services in U.S. dollars. except at authorized retail establishments. Old or very worn dollar bills are often not accepted at banks and exchange offices. even though this is also a violation of currency laws. Travelers checks and credit cards are not widely accepted: credit cards are only accepted at establishments catering to Westerners. Major hotels or the American Express offices in Moscow or St. Petersburg may be able to suggest locations for cashing travelers checks or obtaining cash advances on credit cards. Western Union has agents in Moscow, St. Petersburg. and some other large cities which disburse money wired from the U.S. Customs Regulations: Russian customs laws and regulations are complicated and highly discretionary. A 30 percent duty is required to export any personal item(s) worth over $10,000. Moreover. export duties may be imposed on any items which are determined by customs officials at the point of departure to be of commercial use. All items which may appear to have historical or cultural value -- icons, art, rugs, antiques, etc. -- may be taken out of Russia only with prior written approval of the Ministry of Culture and payment of 100 percent duty. Certain items, such as caviar, medications. jewelry. precious or semiprecious stones or metals. and fuel may be exported duty-free in limited amounts only. Computers. electronic notebooks and related hardware must be presented to customs officials at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport for scanning at least two hours prior to departure. Failure to follow the customs regulations may result in penalties ranging from confiscation of the property in question and/or the imposition of fines to arrest and possible imprisonment. All travelers must also present a customs declaration upon arrival in which the amount of currency brought into the country is declared and any items of value are listed. Travelers should ensure that this declaration is officially stamped by customs officials at the point of entry in order to prevent possible difficulties in taking currency and valuables back out. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs are strict and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines. Registration and Embassy Location: All Americans who reside in Russia for three months or longer are encouraged to register at the U.S. Embassy or at one of the U.S. consulates. Americans who will remain for shorter periods may also register and inquire about updated travel and security information. Registration allows for quicker replacement of a lost or stolen passport, as well as contact in case of emergency. The U.S. Embassy is located in Moscow at Novinskiy Bulvar 19/23: tel. (7)(095) 252-2451; fax (7) KINGZ REFUBLIC (095) 956-4261. After hours emergencies: tel. (7)(095) 252-1898 or 255-5123. U.S. Consulates are located at: St. Petersburg: Ulitsa Furshtadskaya 15; tel. (7-812) 275-1701; fax (7-812) 110-7022. After hours emergencies: (7-812) 274-8692. Vladivostok: 32 Pushkin St: tel. (7-4232) 268-458 or 300-070; fax (7-4232) 300-091. Yekaterinburg: 15A Ulitsa Gogolya. 4th Floor. tel. (7-3432) 564-619; fax (7-3432) 564-515. No. 97-074 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated July 12. 1996, to update information on entry and exit requirements. air travel. areas of instability. crime, crime against foreign businesses, currency exchange, and customs regulations. KAZAKHSTA AN James Franklin Collins U.S. Ambassador to Russia President Clinton appointed James Franklin Collins to be U.S. Ambassador to Russia on May 30, 1997. He took up his post in early September 1997. Ambassador Collins is a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister Counselor. He currently serves as Ambassador-at-Large and Special Advisor to the Secretary for the New Independent States in the Department of State. Prior to that position he served as Senior Coordinator in the Office of the Ambassador-at-Large for the New Independent States and as Deputy Chief of Mission, Moscow. Before joining the Department of State, Ambassador Collins taught Russian and European History at the U.S. Naval Academy. He has also served as Political Counselor in Amman, Jordan, and as Vice Consul in Izmir, Turkey. At the Department of State he has served as Deputy Executive Secretary for Europe and Latin America and Director of the State Department's Operations Center. He has held positions in the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs, Bureau of Near East and South Asian Affairs, and the Bureau of Intelligence and Research. He has also served as a member of the National-Security Council staff as Director for Intelligence Policy. During his career, Ambassador Collins has received several Meritorious and Superior Honor Awards, the Secretary of State's Award for Distinguished Service in January 1993 and the Department's Distinguished Honor Award in October 1993. Ambassador Collins received an A.B. (cum laude) from Harvard University in 1961 and an M.A. from Indiana University in 1964. He conducted research as an exchange fellow at Moscow University in 1965 and the British Museum in London in 1966. Married for 32 years to Dr. Naomi F. Collins, the current Executive Director at NAFSA, an association of international educators headquartered in Washington, D.C., he and his wife have two grown sons. Key U.S. Officials in Moscow Deputy Chief of Mission John F. Tefft Political Affairs John M. Ordway Economic Affairs Clifford Bond Administrative Affairs John O'Keefe Commercial Affairs John Peters Consular Affairs Susan Wood Regional Security Affairs Tony Bell Public Affairs Robert R. 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Increase of when Disfessionals generational dircus veil burning - AGea promixed for manriage- marry at 16,17 live wl husband's family - Strengthen family - Clan unity - grand against Clan fighting (aserists in Tagikistan) A Different Voice Children Cane Gillign C - health issues- air pollution damage to environment over imigation - high pesticides used in cotton growth Clubdren used to pick Russia / Ukeaine women - women 60-7020 of unem playment - classed growth spirt - domestic Violence , vepe d abuse major pwhs. - unavailability of contraception Abortion as Contraception Cluldien: yelkom Radio address 142 million children homeless orphans knowled from homes 400 American adoptions / month Health Russia/ Ukalue - abortion high - AIDS/HIV - liscr taberculosis up6920 since 92 - Incr. of childhood Thyroid Cancer Since Chernobyl us assistance - Bishkek / Ukraine Shipments - probs w/ Cynicism - us enagaement for long term partnership for freedom: Q econ growth need smoth for the stability Create relationships through exchage & partneship - love term 3 democracy / huna vights - being engaged exates incremental improvements these Countries want us to be There Themes Dole of women in Civil sociting Role of women in economic life $ women's health 1 Children's health Vekaterinbeg - (U.S.Pittsbug 1952) Novosibiosic vailvoad town - trans siberian vailned - -a lot is happening at local level - avenage day to dan education, healthcare delivered or not variouell leadus Creak opportunities - life at human level -attention to Things our policy has Shortchanged - -taken fingranted - Yeltsin appealed to These issues Chase middle Gyed ladies). legitimated middle aged nome Mrs. yelsin kpresents Some of These. - Integration into Western world OSCE membership u.s. has encouraged Europe to become enagal in These areas Specific engagement This year bi latual us us Ukraine- very insecure about U.S. clationship. HRe visit help build pw- support kform policy econ. decline since collapse of USSR. Parliamentary elections in March- Victory for leffist forces ( commumist) Kirchma- - paralized - afraid of movement Prons w/ govt. comption, pay offs need for regulatory refurn loss Q the social saften hes- benefits VS. proos d order Meals (Get nome from Kelly) 2 Weather five casts (Brian) legal Refurn - r newcivil code tax code -pwbs. wl informent Women-unskilled labur face- double duty us I NIS Women's Consortion encourage oreginization & teaching Elementam & Secondary education transformation creation of modern Curricalum George SOROS- - 100 million scientific projects at end of ussn - Picot projects - basic Public health (predominently NGOS) next week onthe hill Withdrawal/Redaction Marker Clinton Library DOCUMENT NO. SUBJECT/TITLE DATE RESTRICTION AND TYPE 001. list RE: Staff on UZ Government Plane (1 page) 00/00/0000 b(7)(C), b(7)(E), b(6) COLLECTION: Clinton Presidential Records First Lady's Office Karen Finney (Press Office) OA/Box Number: 10673 FOLDER TITLE: [Trip of the First Lady to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, and Ukraine, November 9-18, 1997 - Briefing Papers] [loose] 2015-0734-S db3895 RESTRICTION CODES Presidential Records Act - [44 U.S.C. 2204(a)] Freedom of Information Act - [5 U.S.C. 552(b)] P1 National Security Classified Information [(a)(1) of the PRA] b(1) National security classified information [(b)(1) of the FOIA] P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office [(a)(2) of the PRA] b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of P3 Release would violate a Federal statute [(a)(3) of the PRA] an agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA] P4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or b(3) Release would violate a Federal statute [(b)(3) of the FOIA] financial information [(a)(4) of the PRA] b(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial P5 Release would disclose confidential advice between the President information [(b)(4) of the FOIA] and his advisors, or between such advisors [a)(5) of the PRA] b(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of P6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy [(b)(6) of the FOIA] personal privacy [(a)(6) of the PRA] b(7) Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement purposes [(b)(7) of the FOIA] C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed b(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of of gift. financial institutions [(b)(8) of the FOIA] PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C. b(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information 2201(3). concerning wells [(b)(9) of the FOIA] RR. Document will be reviewed upon request. Withdrawal/Redaction Marker Clinton Library DOCUMENT NO. SUBJECT/TITLE DATE RESTRICTION AND TYPE 002. list RE: Staff on Government Plane (1 page) 00/00/0000 b(7)(C), b(7)(E), b(6) COLLECTION: Clinton Presidential Records First Lady's Office Karen Finney (Press Office) OA/Box Number: 10673 FOLDER TITLE: [Trip of the First Lady to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, and Ukraine, November 9-18, 1997 - Briefing Papers] [loose] 2015-0734-S db3895 RESTRICTION CODES Presidential Records Act - [44 U.S.C. 2204(a)] Freedom of Information Act - [5 U.S.C. 552(b)] P1 National Security Classified Information [(a)(1) of the PRA] b(1) National security classified information [(b)(1) of the FOIA] P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office [(a)(2) of the PRA] b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of P3 Release would violate a Federal statute [(a)(3) of the PRA] an agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA] P4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial or b(3) Release would violate a Federal statute [(b)(3) of the FOIA] financial information [(a)(4) of the PRA] b(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial P5 Release would disclose confidential advice between the President information [(b)(4) of the FOIA] and his advisors, or between such advisors [a)(5) of the PRA] b(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of P6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy [(b)(6) of the FOIA] personal privacy [(a)(6) of the PRA] b(7) Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement purposes [(b)(7) of the FOIA] C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed b(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of of gift. financial institutions [(b)(8) of the FOIA] PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C. b(9) Release would disclose geological or geophysical information 2201(3). concerning wells [(b)(9) of the FOIA] RR. Document will be reviewed upon request.