On Friday, January 2, 2008, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin “[welcomed] an international delegation of diplomats who [traveled] to Alaska to celebrate Alaska Statehood Day on January 3, 2009. Representatives from several Asian and European countries accepted Governor Palin’s invitation to participate in weekend celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of Alaska being admitted to the Union” (Delegation, 2009, ¶1).
Sergey Kislyak is the newly appointed ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United States and was part of the delegation. This was Ambassador Kislyak’s first visit to Alaska (Delegation, 2009, ¶3).
“I am so pleased to be here this weekend,” Ambassador Kislyak said. “As discussed in my meeting with Governor Palin, it is encouraging to note the similarities between Alaska and the Russian Far East. Our existing commercial connections and the mutually beneficial nature of our professional partnerships can only help provide a measure of stability as, together, we face the global economic challenges that lie ahead” (Delegation, 2009, ¶4).
Other members of the delegation included Consuls General from the Russian Federation, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Hungary, Norway, South Korea, The Philippines, as well as representatives from Canada and China (Delegation, 2009, ¶5).
“Members of the Alaska consular corps … also … [participated] in the weekend events. Among them: Karen Matthias, of Canada; Hideo Fujita, of Japan; Hee-chul Kim, of South Korea; and Jose Luis Cuevas, of Mexico. They will be joined by honorary consuls of the Czech Republic, Poland, Finland, Seychelles, and Norway” (Delegation, 2009, ¶6).
According to Kris Perry, Director of the Governor’s Office of International Trade, these trading partners built Alaska’s export market into a nearly $4 billion enterprise” (Delegation, 2009, ¶7).
Governor Sarah Palin meets with Mr. Sergey Kislyak, newly appointed Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United States, on his first visit to Alaska. Ambassador Kislyak is part of a large group of foreign dignitaries on hand for weekend celebrations marking Alaska’s 50th anniversary of statehood.
The Governor welcomed diplomats who joined her to celebrate Alaska Statehood Day on January 3, 2009. Representatives from several Asian and European countries, including the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United States, H.E. Sergei Kislyak, accepted Governor Palin’s invitation to participate in weekend celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of Alaska being admitted to the Union. (First row, l to r) Consul General of New Zealand, John Mataira, Royal Norwegian Consul General Sten Arne Rosnes, Consul General of Hungary Balazs Bokor, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United States H.E. Sergei Ivanovich Kislyak, the Governor, Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell, Consul General of the Russian Federation Yuri Gerasin, British Consul General Julian Evans; (Second row, l to r) Honorary Consul of Poland Stan Borucki, Honorary Consul of Finland Wayne Stolt, Honorary Royal Norwegian Erling Trygve Johansen, Alberta Executive Director of the US and Americas Marvin Schneider, Consul of Canada Karen Matthias, Alberta Minister of Energy Mel Knight, State of Alaska Commissioner General Craig Campbell, former Governor Walter J. Hickel, State of Alaska Commissioner Larry LeDoux; Consul of Japan Hideo Fujita, Consul of Korea Hee-chul Kim, Consul of Mexico Jose Luis Cuevas, Honorary Consul of the Seychelles Harold Greetn, Honorary Consul fo France Marc LaRose, State of Alaska Director of International Trade and of the Office of the Governor Kris Perry, Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic Frank Nosek, Alaska State Senator Gary Stevens.
Commentary:
The foregoing indicates precisely how powerful Governor Palin is, and the tragedy in how she was portrayed in the prior campaign as “inexperienced and naive.”
Let’s make this really easy: last weekend, Governor Palin met with representatives from nine countries in North America, Asia, and Europe and discussed matters related to international trade. Governor Palin has devoted much of her gubernatorial career to cultivating these relationships, and in so doing has improved Alaska’s economy.
There has not been a single news story on this meeting. Not one. Instead, the media has devoted its time in an all-out war on Governor Palin’s family in trying to dig up non-existent dirt. All of us at Team Sarah, myself included missed this story for three days because we devoted ourselves to defending Governor Palin against these attacks and never bothered to check the AK State website.
To steal from Shania Twain’s song lyric and title, “She’s Not Just a Pretty Face.” Governor Palin is a woman who not only can do, but does do — every day. Unlike the pampered divas who spew invective about her, Governor Palin also knows what work is and has the broken bones in one hand and one foot to prove it. Her critics couldn’t do 1/10,000th of what she does.
While we must always guard Governor Palin’s wings (while not clipping them of course), we must also always recognize and publicize news such as this.
References
Governor welcomes international diplomats. (2009, January 2). State of Alaska, Governor. Retrieved January 5, 2008 from: http://www.gov.state.ak.us/news.php?id=1595
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Very interesting article. Keep writing dude !!
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