Can Competitors Be Friends? Alaska and Chukotka Work to Improve Friendly Neighbor Relations!

America's biggest state, Alaska, is going to strengthen and enhance its ties with Russia. While Washington is trying to drive a wedge in the relations with Moscow, local authorities and businesses are eager to develop bilateral projects in such potential industries as energy, agriculture, and tourism.

America's biggest state, Alaska, is going to strengthen and enhance its ties with Russia. While Washington is trying to drive a wedge in the relations with Moscow, local authorities and businesses are eager to develop bilateral projects in such potential industries as energy, agriculture, and tourism. Alaska believes that having a common history will always unite them, no matter the political situation.

Our correspondent in the USA Alexander Khristenko is reporting from the state with Russian origins.

 

Only 2.5 miles separate America's Alaska from Russia's Chukotka. The geographical proximity gives an opportunity to work together.

- Can competitors be friends?

Gary Paxton, Mayor of Sitka: "Sure, they can. Both America and Russia love sports, and you can be both rivals and friends in sports. Competition itself isn't bad. Of course, you need mutual respect and the game has to have rules".

Washington's decision to close the Russian Consulate in Seattle created big problems for those living there and those that want to keep in touch with Russia. Anti-Russian sanctions followed by Moscow's retaliatory measures delivered a blow to businesses in Alaska. Unfortunately, local fishermen can't sell Russia fish and seafood anymore. But back in 2013, the local trade turnover amounted to tens of millions of dollars.

Actually, it's at the regional level that we could try to improve Russia-US relations, said Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov during his multiple meetings with Alaskan politicians and business people.

Anatoly Antonov, Russian Ambassador to the US: "We consider inter-regional ties one of the most promising fields. Judging by my experience, the farther we go from Washington, the more open-minded people there are who are interested in Russia. Another promising field of cooperation is the Arctic. Alaska has a special role here".

Among all the prospective projects, resuming flights is a priority. Now, one can only fly to the Russian Far East practically via Moscow alone. Cities can also enhance ties, for example, Anchorage and Magadan, which are twin towns. There should be more precedents. Historical ties between Russia and Alaska are binding.

The city of Sitka, Alaska, used to be called Novo-Arkhangelsk. There's still a functional Orthodox cathedral in its center as well as this monument to Alexander Andreevich Baranov, a Russian merchant from Kargopol, the first governor of Russian America. His wit, perseverance, and courage expanded Russian territory from a narrow shoreline to a rather huge area, permanently leaving a Russian footprint in the history of this place.

The indigenous tribes of Tlingit attacked Russian fortresses, but then reconciliation and peace followed. Many of them embraced Christianity and continue to offer Orthodox prayers in the Tlingit language.

Another common historical episode is WWII. The AlSib (Alaska-Siberia) air route passed through here. The USA used the route to send aircraft to the USSR via the lend-lease program. Soviet pilots who were killed in battle are buried at the local military cemetery.

Anatoly Antonov, Russian Ambassador to the US: “We were brothers in arms. We were strong allies. I'd like to stress that it's important that we remember those times and always speak about what we did together.

Virginia Walker, Director of the Fort Richardson Cemetery: "Russian pilots' names were westernized. I've always felt that we should correct that and pay tribute to them. Our countries were allies, fighting evil. And I think we can do that again".

Here, next to the Russian border, people hope that they will be heard thousands of miles away in the US capital city of Washington, D.C.

Alexander Khristenko, Nikolai Koskin for Vesti from Alaska, USA.