Jun 28, 2005: Vershbow Exits on High Note

THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES

Relations between Russian and the United States continue to develop positively, Alexander Vershbow, the retiring U.S. Ambassador to Moscow, said Friday at a farewell news conference in St. Petersburg.

"I‘m looking toward the future of our countries with optimism," he said. "I think that over time anti-American attitudes will die down."

Vershbow, who took up his post in July 2001, is to be replaced by career diplomat William Burns, next month, Interfax reported last week, adding that Burns‘ appointment was conditional on Senate approval.

Vershbow promised that the next ambassador will continue to support the development of civil society in Russia, "a U.S. policy that is not dependent on the ambassador‘s personality."

While Vershbow expressed regret that in the last two years the pace of reform in Russia had slowed, that the State has interfered too much in the market, and that corruption has raged, "a lot of American companies still believe in prospects of Russian market," he said.

Expressing his general satisfaction with the results of his term in office, Vershbow said one thing he regretted was that a new site for the U.S. consulate general in St. Petersburg has not been found.

The existing building doesn‘t meet international security standards, he said. The search for a new site had been somewhat hampered by the Russian Foreign Ministry, but he was "sure that they will find positive decision in the near future."