Georgia Successfully Implementing Political, Economic Reforms
The progress Georgia has made since 2003 indicates that reforms are taking hold across a broad section of its political and economic life, a senior U.S. diplomat says. Daniel Fried, assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, tells an audience in Tbilisi, Georgia, that there should be no doubt that the United States supports Georgia's NATO aspirations. More...
Top Russian Businesswomen Trade Tips with U.S. Pros
A group of 10 successful Russian businesswomen is meeting with U.S. counterparts and officials in Washington, Baltimore and New York to learn how to develop their businesses further, thanks to a program sponsored by the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. In Russia, there are few programs designed to support businesswomen, despite the fact that women-owned businesses are growing faster than those owned by men, program participant Elena Fedyashina says. More...
Secretary’s Register Honors Culturally Significant Properties
When the U.S. Embassy in Rome began security improvements around the Palazzo Margherita, a 17th-century building it acquired for offices in 1946, workers unearthed ancient artifacts, including imperial lead water pipes from a villa owned by one of Julius Caesar’s officers. The embassy hired an Italian archaeologist to record and preserve the artifacts. This is one example of U.S. efforts to preserve those properties it manages around the world that are historically, architecturally or culturally significant. More...
Criminal Law Reforms in Eurasia Get Boost from U.S. Experts
The American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative, which began reaching countries throughout Eastern Europe and Central Asia in the late 1980s and early 1990s, promotes development of advocacy and legal practice skills; adoption of ethical standards for judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys; and establishment of merit-based, transparent entry into legal professions. USINFO looks at this innovative program and the differences it is making in legal systems around the world. More...