September 19, 2002
Thursday - 12:10 am

Anchorage -The State of Alaska and much of the Russian Far East agreed to more aggressively pursue business, educational and cultural opportunities to create jobs and grow their regions' economies, following a series of meetings connected to the 7th Annual U.S. West Coast-Russian Far East Working Group being held in Anchorage this week.

Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles and the governors or senior officials of five Russian Far East regions on Wednesday signed bilateral agreements pledging further cooperation in the areas of energy development, improved transportation, sustainable resource development, tourism and education. Most of the governors and top federal officials attending the conference then signed a "Declaration of Regional Cooperation" urging expanded ties in several areas, including economic development, health, the rule of law, and media.

"Hosting this important conference has put Alaska on the international map this week as we work together to expand relations between American West Coast states and the Russian Far East," Knowles said. "The agreements we signed and our work together will create new jobs and business opportunities and improve the lives of citizens on both sides of the Bering Strait."

Knowles also announced an expanded State of Alaska role in the Russian Far East designed to capitalize on commercial and other opportunities for Alaskans. The state Division of International Trade and Market Development is contracting with the University of Alaska Anchorage's American Russian Center to represent the state in its seven (soon to be eight) business development centers across the Russian Far East. Currently, Alaska has only a single representative, in Sakhalin.

"This innovative partnership will mean better service for Alaskans, and better trade opportunities for entrepreneurs in both our regions," Knowles said. "At a time when other states have pulled back from the Russian Far East, this represents a significant enhancement of our presence and shows that Alaska is strongly committed to working with our neighbors in the Russian Far East."

Since it began operations in 1993, the American Russian Center has conducted over 500 business courses and seminars and trained more than 18,000 entrepreneurs, teachers and government officials. It operates seven business development centers in Russian Far East regions: Sakhalin, Magadan, Kamchatka, Amur, Sakha and two in Khabarovsk. It will soon open another in the region's largest city, Vladivostok.

More than 300 American and Russian business and government leaders are participating in the Working Group conference, which continues through Friday. Tuesday afternoon, Knowles hosted a governor's-only summit at which the governors and top federal officials explored new areas of cooperation. The governor addressed the opening session of the conference this morning, noting close historical ties between Alaska and the Russian Far East.

"Less than 15 years ago, spotting a real live Russian on an Alaska street was a welcome novelty," Knowles said. "After we worked together to melt the "ice curtain" that separated us in the late 1980s, Alaskans and Russians have become good friends, business associates and in scores of cases, even marriage partners. Today, the many types of relationships between Alaska and the Russian Far East are booming. The one we hope to advance at this conference - our commercial ties - are healthy and growing."

The agreements signed by the governors include:

• A general Declaration of Regional Cooperation signed by all the governors and top federal officials. It recognizes the importance of regional cooperation stressed by the Working Group and pledges continued cooperation in the areas of "energy development, good governance and the rule of law, civil society and the media, small and medium-sized enterprises, health, natural resource management, transportation and tourism.
• Sakhalin Memorandum of Continuing Cooperation with Alaska and Sakhalin, the Russian region's oil and gas center. Knowles and Sakhalin Gov. Igor Farkhutdinov pledged continued work in the areas of education, business, environment, finance and transportation. Alaska currently has the most extensive ties with this region, with many Alaska businesses working in oil and gas development there.
• Khabarovsk Agreement of Cooperation between Knowles and Gov. Viktor Ishaev that renews an agreements signed in 1988 and pledges cooperation in the areas of education, transportation, rule of law, telemedicine, legislative affairs and business development.
• Koryak Agreement between Knowles and Gov. Vladimir Loginov in the areas of economic development, trade, education, health, culture and tourism.
• Buryatia Agreement between Knowles and Alexander Lubsanov, chair of the national Hural or legislative assembly, on self-government, business creation, scientific and cultural exchanges.
• Kamchatka Cooperation Agreement between Knowles and Foreign Economic Relations Chief Alexander Potievsky, representing Gov. Mikhail Mashkovtsev, who was seriously injured in a traffic accident last week. The agreement calls for enhanced cooperation in the areas of economic development, trade, education, health, culture and tourism.

Also during the conference, Knowles met with U.S. Ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow and Kent Hill, assistant administrator for Europe and Eurasia for the U.S. Agency for International Development. USAID has sponsored a number of Alaska-Russian Far East cooperative ventures.

Source of News Release:

Office of the Governor
Web Site

 

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