, and to inform the U.S. Congress better about Russian developments.

The Duma-Congress Study Group

Leaders in the Russian State Duma and in the U.S. House of Representatives established the Duma-Congress Study group to build ties between Russian and U.S. lawmakers and their staffs.  Chaired by Reps. Curt Weldon (R-PA) and Steny Hoyer (D-MD) on the U.S. side, the group last fall hosted two delegations of senior Duma staff in Washington.

In addition to organizing the staff delegation visits, AFPC is the principal non-governmental organization supporting Duma-Congress Study Group activities.  Under grants from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trusts and others, AFPC provides the private financial and logistical support essential to the exchanges.

Dialogue on Tough Issues

The exchanges have been forums from which to build relations and hold discussions in ways not provided through traditional political or diplomatic channels.

The Study Group arranged for a delegation specializing in strategic anti-ballistic missile systems to visit Russian and brief Russian lawmakers on U.S. concerns and intentions behind the policy to build a missile defense shield.  Eight congressmen met with senior Russian Duma and military officials.

AFPC provided the financial support for former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, former Under Secretary of State William Schneider, Jr., and former CIA Director R. James Woolsey to accompany the delegation.  All are members of the Commission to Assess the Ballistic Missile Threat to the United States (Rumsfeld Commission).

This important event was made possible by congressional and Duma staff cooperation from earlier exchanges.  “Duma-Staff preparation helped pave the way for us to bring key Rumsfeld Commission leaders to Russia,” says AFPC President Herman Pirchner, Jr.  “It was only such briefing to the Russians at a time when major misunderstandings were erupting in Russia about U.S. intentions on missile defense.”