Jeffrey VanDreal, Assistance Coordinator from the US Embassy in Moscow visited Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on January 27-30. During the Sakhalin visit, Mr. VanDreal accompanied by Coordinator Halstead and Assistant Coordinator Vasina met with, attended or spoke at:

(discussions with governmental officials)
- Vladislav Rukavetz, Head and key staff of the Sakhalin Region International Committee;
- Sergey Kastornov, Head of the Sakhalin Representative Office of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
The impending registration of the RI RFE as a representative office in compliance with RF law and its effect on Coordinator Halstead’s visa situation was the primary topic of discussions. Mr. VanDreal also explained what the US Consular Agent/Agency will and will not do – will assist US citizens in various ways; will not – issue US entry visas to Russian nationals.

(relating to SME support)
- Jeffrey Valkar, Director of the American Business Center;
- Kenneth Smith, Director of ACDI/VOCA;
- the Sakhalin Junior Achievement Olympiad featuring approximately 50 school children from eight different Sakhalin cities (a report on this event showing both Mr. VanDreal and Coordinator Halstead addressing the participants was shown on the [Sakhalin] State Television & Radio Company on February 2nd);
- a Junior Achievement 11th grade class held at the Gymnasium School in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk;
 

(relating to civil society development)
- a Round Table of five Civic Initiatives Project grant recipients individually working to create a women’s center and children’s sports playground, raise environmental awareness among school children, promote vocal musical skills among school children in a poorly equipped small town school, and raise awareness of the RF labor law impermissibility of advertising for vacant work positions through specifying the desired sex and/or age of applicants (a report on this event showing both Mr. VanDreal and Coordinator Halstead addressing the recipients was shown on the [Sakhalin] State Television & Radio Company on January 29th);
- Boris Misikov, Rector and Viktor Korsunov, Deputy Rector of Sakhalin State University discussing a prospective visit of a English Language Fellow to SSU along with numerous ways in which the RI RFE and SSU are cooperating;
- five key members of the Alumni Association “Razvitiya” discussing past and future initiatives, applying for a US Embassy Democracy Commission grant, and perspectives for cooperation with the Alumni Associations in Khabarovsk and Vladivostok;
- the American Corner to 15 persons regarding the cultural, musical and advertising events which accompany and supplement the NFL Super Bowl;
- an evening English class attended by 28 working adults desiring to study English primarily for work-related reasons;

(relating to health activities)
- a Round Table held at the Sakhalin Region HIV/AIDS Center attended by Center physicians, regional and city health department officials, city education department officials, NGOs, student volunteers, and the media (a report on this event showing both Mr. VanDreal and Coordinator Halstead addressing the participants was shown on the [Sakhalin] State Television & Radio Company on January 30th);
- physicians from the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk City Children’s [outpatient] Clinic which is involved with other Sakhalin partners in conducting public and maternal health work under separate respective grants received from the US State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the US – RFE Active Partnership;
- Galina Kazachinina, Director of the Russian Partner “Podrostok” implementing the US – RFE Active Partnership “Crossroads of Life” and conducted a site visit to the orphanage in Troitskaya;
 

(meetings with active on Sakhalin major western oil companies)
- Michael Allen, Government Relations and Outreach Coordinator for Exxon Neftegas Limited;
- Engel van Spronsen, Technical Director, Pandora Snethkamp, Social Integration Manager, and Tatyana Luzan, Social Sector Specialist for Sakhalin Energy.
Ongoing discussions with both companies regarding concluding separate Global Partnership Alliance Agreements with USAID was the primary topic of discussions.

The United States Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Alexander Vershbow from the US Embassy in Moscow held a digital press conference at the American Business Center in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk on January 21, 2004. The DVC was attended by 12 journalists representing nine different Sakhalin mass media sources. Using the DVC technology for the first time regarding Sakhalin as a large winter snow storm approached the island, the Ambassador bridged the seven time zone difference between Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Moscow to answer journalists’ questions during one hour. In his opening remarks, the Ambassador: praised the cooperative and productive relations existing between the US and the RF; noted the personal, geographic, topographic and climatic conditions that bind the western part of the US with the RFE; stressed the commercial investment opportunities provided by the relationship to both countries particularly in the energy sector; recalled his attendance and participation in the RAPP Conference held in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in July, 2003; and complimented the RI RFE for its programs providing 20.5 million dollars during federal fiscal 2003 in technical assistance to the population and non-state organizations in the RFE. Specific questions and answers concerned: US and Sakhalin and RFE relations; the democratization and rebuilding of Iraq; investment opportunities for US companies on Sakhalin and in Russia as a whole; the security-based reasons for the US maintaining military bases in Alaska; the provisions of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment no longer constituting a real impediment to US – RF relations; and the Ambassador’s 35 year experience and exposure to the mysterious Russian soul. The Sakhalin end of the DVC was organized by the RI RFE with Kregg Halstead serving as the DVC’s moderator. Jeffrey Valkar, Director and the staff of the ABC also provided supporting assistance.

Rafail Narinsky and Eugene Levkin, both Project Management Specialists for USAID/Russia and Marina Liborakina, Executive Director and German Vetrov, Director of Municipal Economic Development for the Institute of Urban Economics visited Sakhalin on January 12-16. The purpose of their visit was to identify potential demand driven assistance areas in respect to local governance and economic development on Sakhalin. While on the island, the visitors met with Sakhalin regional officials and mayors of four Sakhalin districts as well as USG technical assistance providers and western oil and gas company officials. The visitors received scheduling and logistical assistance from Assistant Coordinator Vasina.