By Janina de Guzman Defining her term as a time of growth for the U.S. Consulate, a period of political stability for Russia, and an era of nascent U.S-Russia ties in technical and trade spheres, outgoing U.S. Consul General Jane Miller Floyd bid farewell July 1. “I’m pretty happy with what we’ve done,” Miller Floyd told journalists at a press conference at the U.S. Consulate. Miller Floyd leaves Russia July 13. Her replacement, Douglas Kent, arrives in August. Building on the work of her two predecessors, who opened the U.S. consulate in 1992 and moved into the red-brick consulate building on Pushkinskaya St. in 1995, Miller Floyd focused on infrastructure during her two-year term: improving working conditions, expanding staff, bringing in a detachment of Marine Security Guards. “We feel like we’re at a real professional level now,” said Miller Floyd. The visa department has granted 15,000 visas in the past year, she said. While consulate operations progressed smoothly, housing for the consulate’s American staff was an ongoing headache. Miller Floyd and her family spent two years at the Vlad Motor Inn. A contract signed one year ago with an American firm to build housing fell through, sending planners back to the drawing board. Miller Floyd said the consulate will build, not renovate or rent, its housing to insure continuous water and power supplies. There are no plans for joint housing with other consulates, she said. The outgoing consul general stressed economic development as the key to overcoming crisis. But first, Russians need a system to guarantee foreign investors security. Fighting between local and regional authorities hinders development in Primorye and reflects poorly on the krai, she said. Miller Floyd characterized Vladivostok as a city of initiative and its residents as patriots. She said she will miss friends and the natural beauty of Primorye. Back in Washington D.C., Miller Floyd will spend 10 months at the National War College studying Russian issues. In other changes at the U.S. Consulate, Michael D. Scanlan, new Consul for Political and Economic affairs, arrived late June. In September, Consul for Press, Education and Culture Mary Speer will be replaced by Susan Krause. © copyright 1998 the Vladivostok News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed in any form. [Back to News page]  [Back to Front page]  [Write to us]