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Viewing cable 09YEKATERINBURG12, MUNICIPAL GOVERNANCE IVLP A SUCCES FOR URALS PARTICIPANTS

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09YEKATERINBURG12 2009-03-02 05:37 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Consulate Yekaterinburg
R 020537Z MAR 09
FM AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 1253
INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG 
AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 
AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG
UNCLAS YEKATERINBURG 000012 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OEXC SCUL KPAO RS
SUBJECT: MUNICIPAL GOVERNANCE IVLP A SUCCES FOR URALS PARTICIPANTS 
 
1.  A group of five professionals from municipal governments, 
NGO and local legislative bodies of the four Urals cities with 
over a million residents -- Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, Perm and 
Ufa -- took part in the Municipal Good Governance and Promoting 
Transparency in Decision-Making International Visitors Program 
January 12-February 1, 2009.  The group visited Washington, DC, 
Jacksonville, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Cleveland, and New 
York.  The group was introduced to U.S. practices in a wide 
range of areas, including transparent and open government; 
ethics, oversight and accountability in government; citizen 
participation in government and watchdog organizations; 
city/regional planning; environmental concerns:  waste 
management, recycling and public awareness; community and 
neighborhood development; snow management city operations; 
public/private partnership; Sister Cities movement; 
infrastructure planning, maintenance and repair. 
 
2.  On February 25, PAO debriefed participants, who said their 
overall impression of the program was very good.  All commented 
that the program changed their negative perception of the U.S. 
to a positive one. When asked why their attitude to America was 
negative before, they said because of U.S. foreign policy and 
military actions abroad.  The alumni noted how friendly, polite 
and supportive Americans were in general, how they were willing 
to communicate and share experience with the Russian colleagues. 
 "The general impression is that the United States is not a 
different world.  They are the same people and having the same 
problems as us," said one participant. 
 
3.  The group noticed that U.S. municipalities have similar 
problems (road maintenance, infrastructure and public utilities 
development, lack of funds) and similar methods of resolving 
them.  The participants were surprised to see the urgent need 
for improvement of the infrastructure, especially roads, in the 
United States.  They found the experience on public and private 
partnerships in the maintenance sphere in the U.S. very useful 
and applicable for Russia.  A municipal official from 
Yekaterinburg commented that the level of maintenance of 
government offices in the U.S. was higher than the local one, 
considering such factors as access for people with disabilities, 
sanitary conditions of the public bathrooms, and easy entrance 
for public to the municipal institutions.  The NGO 
representative from Yekaterinburg said that it was obvious to 
participants that people in the United States were above 
authorities and that the government indeed serves the people. 
The deputy chair of Perm Duma commented that they saw an example 
of an ideal system of city cleaning and maintenance in 
Minneapolis where they had a long and productive dialog with a 
very dedicated city official. 
 
4. The group felt they did not have enough time in New York, the 
city that left the most memorable impressions for them.  They 
also attended several hockey games and came away with an 
appreciation of Russian hockey player Aleksandr Ovechkin, whose 
popularity they believed equaled that of President Obama among 
Americans.  The shared experience of watching games together 
with Americans facilitated mutual understanding, they said.  In 
conclusion, the group warmly thanked the consulate for the 
program and confirmed their readiness to apply the experience 
and share it with Russian colleagues.  The Yekaterinburg City 
Administration is planning a conference in May on city 
management and environment where our alumni expressed their 
willingness to speak. 
 
SANDUSKY