R 300835Z SEP 09
FM AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2842
INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG 
AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 
AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG

UNCLAS ST PETERSBURG 000121 
 
 
DEPT FOR ECA, CA/FPP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: RS CVIS KFRD OEXC SCUL
SUBJECT: KALININGRAD OUTREACH: DESPITE COOL RECEPTION, SOLID INTEREST 
IN AMERICA 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Consulate officers traveled to Kaliningrad 
recently for public diplomacy and consular outreach.  Despite a 
cool reception at Kaliningrad's main university and amidst 
rumors of misdeeds associated with the collapse of the region's 
main airline, Conoffs managed to meet with hundreds of students, 
engage in extensive press activities, promote American values 
and culture, glean valuable information about the Summer Work 
and Travel experience among local students, and provide 
anti-fraud training at the airport. END SUMMARY. 
 
---------------- 
CHILLY RECEPTION 
---------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) At Immanuel Kant State University, the head of the 
international office informed Conoff that only 65 of the 1000 
Kant students participating in study-abroad programs go to the 
U.S. each year.  Claiming that the US "is of no interest to the 
university," he said he was focused mainly on positioning Kant 
State University as a regional educational establishment, 
conducting the majority of its exchanges with Germany, Poland, 
Lithuania, France, and the UK.  As for the U.S. Summer Work and 
Travel (SWT) program, he was disdainful; unprompted, he insisted 
that because he works for an educational institution, he had "no 
interest in any program that involves summer jobs."  He warned 
us not to expect more than two or three students for the SWT 
presentation, but there were already 20 seated when Conoffs 
arrived, and another 18 trickled in during the two presentations 
on student visas and the SWT program.  All students were visibly 
engaged, and the Q&A session confirmed that many were seriously 
interested both in studying in the US and in the SWT program. 
Despite the director's personal lack of interest, and what 
appeared to be a limited effort to spread the word on campus, 
the turnout was stronger than anticipated. 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
PAO MEETS THE PRESS, PROMOTES AMERICAN CULTURE 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. PAO gave six one-on-one TV, newspaper and radio interviews, 
covering everything from missile defense to culinary diplomacy. 
The most frequently asked question was whether the U.S. plans to 
open a consulate in Kaliningrad.  Explaining the new, 
user-friendly U.S. visa application system for facilitating 
travel to the U.S., the PAO responded that opening a consulate 
in Kaliningrad would not be necessary. 
 
¶4. In addition to media engagements, PAO gave three 
presentations to three very different audiences. His "Gogol in 
Hollywood" speech, preceded a showing of Danny Kaye's "The 
Inspector General" to an audience of over 30 people celebrating 
writer Nikolai Gogol's bicentennial.  His "Celebrating 200 Years 
of U.S.-Russian Relations" presentation to 40 students and 
faculty at Kaliningrad State University was followed by an hour 
of questions and answers.  PAO also made a stop at a local high 
school to speak on the "West Coast of the United States" and its 
influence on American English to a standing room-only group of 
50 students. 
 
------------------ 
HARD TIMES FOR SWT 
------------------ 
 
¶5. (SBU) Conoff met with the two Summer Work and Travel agencies 
operating in Kaliningrad.  International Exchange agency 
confirmed that their numbers for 2009 were far lower than 2008: 
200 clients this year, versus 600 last.  They do not expect a 
large uptick for the 2010 SWT season, but are hopeful that 
around 300 will apply.  They also shared some students' recent 
experiences with us: in the past, it had been possible for 
participants to work two, even three jobs simultaneously, 
allowing them to earn good money.  In 2009, however, most were 
faced with reduced hours, lower pay, and less job availability. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The agents also explained why some applicants consider 
applying in Moscow instead of St. Petersburg: flights to the 
northern capital are much more expensive.  Trains are more 
affordable, ostensibly, but since they cross international 
borders, forcing applicants to wait in St. Petersburg until they 
receive their passports from us through Pony Express, they are 
not always a cheaper option.  Lastly, International Exchange 
informed us that they assist students with applications to other 
countries' SWT programs in Argentina, Costa Rica, Mauritius, 
Spain, France and Brazil - the competition is heating up. 
 
¶7. (SBU) "Student Agency" is a one-woman outfit resurrected from 
the rubble of "Candidate," an SWT agency that collapsed last 
year after its main US source of jobs, Century Pools Management, 
went under and could not pay salaries to a number of SWT 
participants.  Student Agency now works with Geovisions in the 
US to offer jobs in hotels, restaurants, pools, moving companies 
and fisheries.  Its director plans to open a new office shortly 
and to hire a secretary.  Her target for the 2010 SWT season is 
30 to 50 students. 
 
----------------------------------- 
ALLEGED FOUL PLAY AT THE AIRPORT 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) At Kaliningrad's Khrabrovo Airport Conoff conducted two 
training sessions - "Detecting Counterfeit U.S. Visas" and 
"Identifying Impostors" - with KD-Avia's nine-member document 
inspection team.  The participants were receptive, responsive, 
and asked many questions during our two-hour session. 
Immediately after the training sessions, we met with the head of 
the visa and immigration service.  After brief mention of the 
airline's recent financial troubles, the KD-Avia security 
service head began to inform us that airport authorities had 
just asked him to "pack up his office."  He surmised that 
federal security organs were trying to chase him out of his job 
because of his "Israeli military background," and because of his 
unyielding stance when federal security agents had tried to push 
some of their contacts through security and onto flights, even 
though some carried illegitimate documents. 
 
¶9. (SBU) The KD-Avia security chief wanted to continue the 
conversation and offered to share documents with us; we 
demurred.  He later informed us that he and his staff quickly 
"went on vacation," citing rules that ostensibly prevented them 
from being fired while on leave, and conveying the hope that his 
staff would be reinstated once the company's financial crisis 
had passed. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Note: KD-Avia company runs both the airline and the 
airport, although it currently is entering bankruptcy 
proceedings and has halted operation of all KD-Avia flights. 
The airport continues to service other Russian carriers and Air 
Baltic, the only foreign airline flying in and out of 
Kaliningrad. End note. 
 
 
GWALTNEY