2009
The 14th Annual Meeting of the Russian American Pacific Partnership
On September 29-30, the US delegation led by CG Tom Armbruster took part in the 14th Annual Meeting of the Russian American Pacific Partnership (RAPP) organized by USAID partner Foundation for Russian Americam Economic Partnership (FRAEC) and hosted by Sakhalin Region Government. In their welcoming remarks and letters, U.S. Ambassador in Russia, US-Russia RAPP secretariat, Sakhalin region governor, and many others stressed the importance of RAPP in developing bilateral relations between the regions of the Russian Far East and U.S. West Coast, especially in light of establishing of the Russian-American Presidential Bilateral Commission. The Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation noted that RAPP proved to be an effective instrument in joining the regional and federal governments in constructive coordination with the business communities and non-government organizations of both countries.Working groups tackled such issues as business development, increased exchanges, direct flights, and visas.