100 RUSSIAN BUSINESSMEN MEET US STATE SECRETARY








WASHINGTON, March 10, 2001. /from RIA Novosti correspondent Arkady Orlov/--Visiting 100 Russian businessmen from small enterprises from 29 Russian regions were received on Friday by US State Secretary Colin Powell. This was disclosed to RIA Novosti by president of the US Centre for Citizen Initiatives Sharon Tennison.


	According to Ms. Tennison, in the course of the meeting Colin Powell stressed that the USA was interested to see Russia a wealthy and economically stable country, and was ready to support initiatives of Russian small businesses. The US Secretary of State added that the USA was also interested to go on practising such exchange visits.


	Powell "was glad to have met Russian new generation businessmen who managed to carry business activities often in tough conditions," Sharon Tennison announced. In their turn the Russian participants in the meeting stressed the necessity to extend contacts with US partners, especially those related to "information and ideas", which could make the economic and legal environment in Russia more favourable for small businesses.


	The CCI President said that in the course of a week's stay in Washington the Russian businessmen met with Richard Gephardt, leader for Democrats in the House of Representatives of the US Congress, famous US Senator Richard G. Lugar and the leadership of the US-Russia Business Council.


	These Russian small business representatives were sent on the trip by the San Francisco-based Centre for Citizen Initiatives, California, on the sidelines of an experience and education exchange programme which has been operated since 1989. In all under the programme over 3,000 Russian probationers visited 350 US cities.