Opening Remarks Before Moscow Chamber Orchestra Concert

This year we mark the bicentennial of an extraordinary relationship between two great peoples. As part of our commemoration of that relationship, I am pleased to welcome you to this special performance by the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Constantine Orbelian, whose professional career and personal story exemplify the depth and complexity of the U.S.-Russian experience.

The United States and Russia began to establish formal diplomatic relations in 1807. This process -- hampered by slow communication lines and the domestic politics of the day -- continued over some time, but by 1809 official representatives were finally in place. Since then, the United States has sent a long line of distinguished envoys to Russia, first to St. Petersburg -- where John Quincy Adams served as the first U.S. Minister to Russia -- and then to Moscow. These representatives -- including two future U.S. presidents, several future cabinet secretaries, members of Congress, and leaders in business -- played pivotal roles in the often tumultuous events that forged America's relationship with Russia.

This year, based on a shared, personal commitment by Presidents Bush and Putin, private and government organizations in the United States and Russia will mark two centuries of diplomatic relations with events that illustrate the richness of ties between our two countries -- from the shared struggle in World War II, to the ensuing Cold War competition, to Van-Cliburn's performance in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, to the handshake in space between our Apollo-Soyuz astronauts. Clearly, the official Russian-American relationship has always been a dynamic and important one; however -- and perhaps more significantly -- our two nations have benefited tremendously from the people-to-people contact and cooperation inherent in cultural ties between our two people, as exemplified most clearly by such luminaries as Mstislav Rostropovich, Mikhail Barishnikov, and -- of course -- Constantine Orbelian.

Harry Orbelian -- Maestro Orbelian's late-father -- was a particularly vibrant example of the close relations between the Russian and American people. Originally from Armenia, Mr. Orbelian served in the Soviet Army during WWII, and returned to a country that persecuted him for his parents' political beliefs and for the time he had spent in Nazi prison camps. Making the tough decision to leave behind all he knew, Harry Orbelian set out for Staten Island in 1948, beginning his American journey as a stock clerk in New York City at the age of 26. By the age of 74, Mr. Orbelian had served as vice president of foreign trade for the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, was a multi-millionaire, and headed the San Francisco World Trade Council.

Throughout his life in America, Harry Orbelian remained committed to his roots and served as a bridge between our two countries, playing an instrumental role in fostering closer political, economic, and cultural links between the Russian and American nations. As a testament to his many achievements, in 2005 at Stanford University, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov presented Harry with a Medal of Honor from the Russian government, a medal rarely given to non-Russians, for his contributions to the development of international relations.

Today, with the help of the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Maestro Constantine Orbelian will expand his father's legacy by presenting us with variations on the theme of U.S.-Russian cooperation and partnership. Once again, thank you all for coming and enjoy the performance!

And now, without further ado, I would like to invite the Ambassador of the Russian Federation, Mr. Yuri Ushakov, to make a few remarks on the occasion of this special event and our unique partnership.