The President's Trip to Europe: Portugal, Germany, Russia, Ukraine

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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
(Moscow, Russia)

For Immediate Release

June 4, 2000

Fact Sheet

People to People Cooperation

The Clinton Administration has significantly expanded exchanges between the Russian and American people to strengthen the overall relationship, promote economic reform and support democratic institutions. These direct contacts between American and Russian citizens also help develop new approaches to common challenges and shared concerns.

Exchanges: U.S.-funded exchange programs have grown from having under 100 Russian participants a year in the 1980s to nearly 40,000 over the last 7 years. This year, the United States government will spend nearly $50 million to sponsor exchanges involving almost 5,000 Russians. In addition, the Russian Leadership Program of the Library of Congress will bring 1,800 leaders from throughout the Russian Federation to the United States.

Internet Access and Training: The United States supports 32 public access Internet sites throughout Russia that receive 25,000-30,000 visitors per month. An additional 22 sites will be established in coming months, expanding the program to 30 Russian oblasts (or regions). Local experts train users to use the Internet and World Wide Web. Since August 1999, nearly 2 million hits have been registered on the Internet Access and Training Program website: http://iatp.projectharmony.ru.

School of Public Policy: The U.S. Department of State is awarding a $500,000 grant to Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs to support the Institute of Public Administration and Social Studies at Moscow State University in its effort to develop a first-rate public policy school. The program will have branch campuses throughout Russia and will emphasize policy analysis, decision-making, empirical approaches, and practical case studies.

Health Cooperation: Hospitals and health care professionals across the United States work closely with their Russian counterparts. The United States is strengthening the pilot program on tuberculosis prevention and control. The Russian city of Tomsk will join an HIV/AIDS prevention program now in Moscow and Saratov. The United States will expand health-related nonproliferation programs under the International Science and Technology Center in Moscow, which has already led to development of new Hepatitis A and measles vaccines.

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