U.S. Department of State

February 3 – Business Development and Economic Relations Working Group: The American Chamber of Commerce in Russia will host a briefing in Moscow by Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service, Ministry of Economic Development, the Association of Electronic Auction Providers, and several electronic auction providers on reforming the Russian public procurement system and the transition to electronic auctions. The briefing is part of a series of exchange activities to support Russia’s use of electronic public procurement as an anti-corruption mechanism.

February 7 – Information Technology: Russian-American Roundtable on Information and Communication Technology: The State Department will coordinate a teleconference between experts from the FCC, The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and Russian Ministry of Communications to discuss the technical, regulatory, licensing, economic, and consumer education issues that are faced when converting from analog to digital television.

Early February: Business Development and Economic Relations Working Group: The U.S. Small Business Administration and Russian Ministry of Economic Development will meet via video conference to agree on an agenda of exchange activities for 2011 to support small and medium-sized enterprise development.

Previous Events Wrap-Up

Health Working Group: On January 27^th in Geneva, USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Director of the Office of Global Health Affairs Dr. Nils Daulaire, and Russian Federation Deputy Minister of Health (MOHSD) Veronica Skvortsova met in Geneva, Switzerland, on the margins of the Maternal and Child Health Commission Meeting and the 128th WHO Executive Board Meeting, and signed a Protocol of Intent on Cooperation for the Global Eradication of Polio. The Protocol outlines a globally-based partnership on polio eradication between USAID, HHS, the Centers for Disease Control, and MOHSD, using their expertise in coordination with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) strategy to accelerate polio eradication. Potential collaborative efforts may include disease surveillance, support for immunization campaigns, technical assistance, and advocacy efforts. Signing the Protocol of Intent on behalf of USAID, Administrator Shah said: "I am excited by the potentially huge impact that we can have when combining our countries' respective talent and expertise to overcome our world's development challenges." A video of the ceremony can be seen here.

USAID Administrator and Russian Deputy Minister of Health Veronika Skvortsova shake hands after signing a Protocol of Intent that will deepen cooperation between the countries to eradicate polio. [Photo credit: U.S. Mission to Geneva]

Defense Relations Working Group: The Enhanced Missile Defense Sub-Working Group, established as part of the U.S.-Russia Defense Relations Working Group met on Friday, January 21, in Moscow. The U.S. delegation was led by Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, Alexander Vershbow. The delegations discussed future U.S. and NATO cooperation with Russia on missile defense, consistent with the joint commitment of President Barack Obama and President Dmitry Medvedev to pursue such cooperation. The working group exchanged ideas on potential cooperation, including information on their respective systems, and the role a joint analysis could play in determining the objectives and parameters of cooperative European missile defense.

Military Cooperation Working Group: Working Group Co-Chairs Admiral Michael Mullen and General of the Russian Army Nikolai Makarov met in Brussels to discuss cooperation in combating terrorism and joint exercises. They concluded the meeting by approving a joint work plan detailing future bilateral exchanges and activities.

Admiral Mullen and General Makarov sign the 2011 Joint US-Russia Work Plan Jan. 26, 2011, at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. [Photo credit: Chad McNeeley, U.S. Department of Defense]

Business Development and Economic Relations Working Group:

• Andrey Yazykov, the head of Russia’s Agency for Home Mortgage Loan Restructuring, visited Washington and met with David Stevens, Assistant Secretary for Housing at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Yazykov and HUD experts discussed the U.S. experience with reverse mortgages as a source of income for senior citizens. Yazykov also traveled to New York to meet with representatives of commercial banks on the same issue.

• The U.S. Consulate in Yekaterinburg attended an awards ceremony for Alla Tishova, director of 3M’s Urals Branch, which was recognized by the Sverdlovsk government as the foreign company most active in charitable activities in Sverdlovsk Oblast in 2010. Nominated by the Consulate, 3M received the award for a broad range of works including support to cancer treatment facilities and local education programs. Sverdlovsk Governor Misharin officiated at the awards ceremony, which attracted many regional leaders from government, business, academia, and media.

CG Mike Reinert and Political/Economic Officer Chris McCabe pose with Alla Tishova, Director of 3M Urals Branch. [Photo credit: U.S. Consulate in Yekaterinburg]