The Work of the U.S. Consulate
Background
Following the Cold War, the United States initiated a policy of
engagement with the new Russian Federation. A key component of that policy
was expanding contacts in Russia's heartland beyond Moscow and St. Petersburg.
The country's vast regions, which span 11 time zones, were becoming more
important as Russia's democratization and decentralization unfolded.
The Urals and Western Siberia regions in central Russia would clearly
play a key role in the country's future. Their territory was larger than
the U.S. east of the Mississippi and home to 25 million people. Economically,
the Urals and Western Siberia were rich in natural resources and a center
of industry. Politically, they were among the nation's leaders in reform.
President Yeltsin and many of Russia's other leading democrats got their
political start there.
Because of its concentration of defense-related industries, most of the
Urals were closed to foreigners for decades during the Cold War. Most
residents could not travel abroad, so contact with foreigners and western
ideas was very limited. In 1992, thanks to lobbying efforts by local leaders,
the Russian Federation opened the area to foreigners and outside investment.
The United States was at the forefront of Western efforts to establish
contacts there.
In 1994, the late Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown opened the U.S. Consulate
General in Yekaterinburg, the first diplomatic mission in central Russia
since World War II. Yekaterinburg was chosen because it is Russia's third
or fourth largest city, an industrial center and a major transportation
hub. In 1996, Hungary established a permanent trade mission in Yekaterinburg
and, one year later, the United Kingdom opened its own consulate. Dozens
of foreign companies followed suit and have opened offices in the city.
Goals and Objectives
The Consulate is both an instrument of U.S. foreign policy and a service
provider to American and Russian citizens. It concentrates its work in
three areas:
- Consular Services. The Consulate's highest priority is
the welfare and whereabouts of American citizens in our Consular District.
Our Consular Section provides passport and other services to American
travelers. The Consulate also issues visas to Russian residents who
wish to travel to the U.S. Click
here for Consular Services,
- Public Diplomacy. Our public diplomacy efforts seek to
promote an open society and to increase direct contacts between Russians
and Americans. Our exchange programs give Russians, from students to
business people, an opportunity to travel to America for training. Through
our daily press service, reporters can access the latest U.S. policy
developments. Click here for Public
Diplomacy.
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