Lisa Murkowski: “I rise today in support of language in the Senate report for the foreign operations appropriations bill underlining the…”

“I rise today in support of language in the Senate report for the foreign operations appropriations bill underlining the importance of the work of the United States West Coast- Russian Far East Ad Hoc Working Group, and of the American-Russian Center in Anchorage, AK. Mr. President, the Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission's United States West Coast-Russian Far East Ad Hoc Working Group, under the leadership of Jan Kalicki, the Counselor to the Department of Commerce, is doing an outstanding job of developing a bilateral framework that will lead to increased trade and investment between the Russian Far East and west coast States. The first meeting of the working group was held in Seattle, WA, in June 1995. In an example of the importance of Alaska's relationship with the Russian Far East, the second meeting of the working group was held in Anchorage, AK, in March 1996. It was a very productive and successful event. I encourage all Senators from west coast States to become involved in the work of the group and to encourage businesses in their states to do so as well. The next meeting of the working group will take place in Khabarovsk, in the Russian Far East, from September 22 to 24, 1996. I have seen first-hand the growth in business activity between the States of the west coast and the Russian Far East. The economic reform efforts taking place in the Russian Far East, in such cities as Vladivostok and Khabarovsk are significant.”