Dear CCI Supporters:
We just saw off four bus loads of Russian entrepreneurs on their way to Dulles Airport to catch Aeroflot back to Moscow, and afterward to their home cities across all time zones in Russia.
CCI’s effort to engage Congressional members and policy influencers with Russian entrepreneurs, in Washington, D.C., has just been accomplished. The plan over-exceeded our expectations both in quality of discussions and numbers of meetings.
One hundred non-English speaking Russian entrepreneurs from 28 of Russia’s regions crisscrossed Capitol Hill and D.C. environs for 84 meetings wherein the Russians “Spoke to Power” over a ten-day period (March 20 – 30).
They interacted knowledgeably and articulately from their personal perspectives regarding what is actually happening throughout Russia today. There were meetings in 42 Congressional offices from Speaker Pelosi’s to Senators Hagel, Obama, McCain’s and many key House and Senate members. The Russians participated in round tables at 10 major Washington policy institutions, met with Republican and Democrat Senate Foreign Relations/Affairs Committee officers, with National Security Council officials, Thomas Graham (just retired advisor to President Bush on Russia), U.S. Department of Commerce, US-Russia Business Council, World Bank (on WTO issues), International Finance Corps, Small Business Association, and numerous business-related experts and specialists with offices in Washington. They met with German Embassy officers and EU representatives from seven countries and interacted on pertinent issues. They shared their conviction regarding where Russia is headed. Near the end, they briefed Russian Embassy officials at an informal round table. The incoming Vladivostok Consul General requested a last minute meeting with all CCI Far East alumni. Finally, the group was received on the last day at U.S. Department of State where Russia specialists held an exchange of views in round table form.
The Russians’ essential message could be summed up as the following: Russia has made significant progress since 2000, the direction of the country today is correct, much work still needs to be done, but given the short time we have had to get our transition from communism redirected, and the disintegration and lawlessness of the 90s under control, we feel optimistic about our personal futures and the future of Russia.
Discussions at the above meetings were substantive with Russian entrepreneurs presenting their on-ground assessments of how small and mid-size businesses across Russia are mushrooming – how grassroots company owners have formed entrepreneurial associations, started Rotary clubs throughout the regions, and are doing charity work. It was reported that Senator Hagel remarked to them, “Then it sounds like you are building the infrastructure for civil society and democracy?” They acknowledged that they are. Entrepreneurs from as far out as Yakutia agreed that business in their locales is catching on, their cities are being renovated and their future and Russia’s future is bright. They urged every VIP with whom they met not to trust their words, but to come visit them in their regions to see what is actually happening across Russia.
They questioned why the US-Russia relationship had disintegrated to such a deplorable low in the last 3-4 years – especially since they see that Russia is finally rising from the backwardness of the Communist decades and the chaos of the 90s. A lot of discussion centered around what they feel they are accomplishing in Russia and their perceptions of Americans’ misunderstandings about the difficulty of their transition to a market economy and a new form of governance. They consistently believe Russia is creating its own form of democracy, which is still being defined. However, they left little doubt that they believe that Russia is headed in a benign and constructive direction.
CCI volunteers from Ohio, Illinois, California, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, and Maryland paid their own expenses to guide the Russians through the D.C. metro system to their appointments each day. CCI interpreters volunteered their professional time. Russian participants paid their expenses with no ulterior motive other than to reduce misunderstanding regarding where Russia is today. VIPs, for the most part, were respectful, and serious exchanges of opinions and information were carried out.
Details of VIP meetings and photos will be on CCI’s website, after clearing the content with Congress members and other hosts. Meanwhile there are some bits of magic to share.
The Russians were stunned that a couple of the Congress members took their own time to set up un-requested tours of the Capitol building, and in one case the Congressman conducted the tour himself in the evening. The Iraq debate was still in session and they were allowed to peek in. Another Congress member set up a coveted White House tour for nearly half of the delegation. Another was sufficiently intrigued that he came to the DC-100 grand finale banquet with his foreign policy staffer.
Representative John Lewis, the U.S. Congress’ noble civil rights hero, spent an hour and half telling the Russians his “story” of growing up in Black America as a small boy… then of his work as a civil rights worker in Selma, Alabama and other parts of the South, and his efforts to bring America into a more civil society in the 1960s. Large photos of John facing water hoses, being beaten, dogs set upon him with other marchers were shown. Through it all Congressman Lewis demonstrated a deep understanding… a forgiving spirit… and a passion to continue to stand for the rights of those who are unable to speak for themselves. The Russian women were brought to tears and the men profoundly impacted by Lewis’ presence. Interpreter Irina Karaldina reported it was the crowning moment as a professional interpreter to be able to communicate the words of Congressman Lewis across the language barrier.
Ambassador Jack Matlock made a rousing keynote speech at the grand finale banquet regarding the myths of the end of the Cold War and how these perceptions continue to influence the relationship. He ended on an optimistic and realistic note that the situation is changing and that efforts such as this exchange of ideas are critically important to the future relationship of the two nation – which drew a standing ovation.
The Russians left Washington with genuine responses from the top echelon of power coursing through their thought processes. I attended enough of these meetings to become somewhat hopeful that the US-Russia relationship may be at a turning point in 2007 – and that there will be gradual but sure movement to a more sustainable relationship in the future. We at CCI hope that our 80+ face-to-face meetings in Washington have contributed toward this potential reality.
Let us work diligently between now and the 2008 elections to dilute cold war mentality, so the next administrations in both countries will be more favorably disposed, more consultative with each other, and will better understand each other’s knee jerk issues. The relationship won’t be easy to manage, given the baggage on both sides, but it’s not impossible.
Finally, accolades: many thanks to the hundreds of you who have contributed to this near-impossible project! Individual thanks will be coming your way.
I’d like to acknowledge one contributor, Patricia Cloherty, Delta Capital’s brilliant professional in Moscow, who in December of 2006 gave a large and unexpected personal donation to get this “idea in germination” off the ground. Without Pat’s seed money, we would never have had the courage to push the idea into reality. Gratitude and kudos to you, Pat!
Sharon
Sharon Tennison
President