Center for Citizen Initiatives

Bringing Russian and American citizens together in Peace since 1983.

Ambassador Jack Matlock on Ukraine, Russia, and the West’s Mistakes

Dear CCI Friends,

Jack Matlock, America’s quintessential Ambassador, gave a historic video interview on February 4th, which I prepared for our readers to watch. Belatedly I don’t remember it going out? On checking, apparently I didn’t send it to you … a big mistake! The interview is full of historic memory of those events when Mikhail Gorbachev was assured that NATO wouldn’t move further than East Germany. Looking back, Jack provides answers for what is happening to this very day.

Watch the video below to experience Jack Matlock discussing how history has moved forward:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPuIfiAeXsw

Sharon (signature)

Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

Fyi, February 4th was also my daughter’s birthday, I may have been preoccupied with family events that day.

Putin-Xi Pact for Global Transformation

Dear CCI Friends,

The largest, most audacious release of information ever, came from China and Russia as Putin and Xi issued their statement about world governance at the end of the Winter Games in China. Within hours it was attacked by Western leaders.

It is important to read the original statement before jumping to conclusions. I read hastily and took off for a hospital (in snow and slush) to get the latest regarding vaccine information to share with CCI travelers. Returning home three hours later, I Googled the statement to find a dozen irate reactions already online. I finally digested them all. In case you haven’t read the original, it follows:

Sharon (signature)

Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

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More Citizens are Speaking Up

Dear CCI Readers,

A lot of Americans are beginning to speak their own truth today, due to Washington presenting one-way options leading to additional wars, which no one needs.

Unfortunately, many good Americans leave politics and international challenges up to the political party to which they belong. I have been a Democrat all of my life; but a couple of elections back I knew too much from direct experience. I could no longer vote with my party. Never voting Republican, I wrote in names of candidates I wished would be running. Did I lose my vote? Maybe, that’s one way to look at it.  But I prefer to vote the direction I know would be better for my country and the world … and then try to educate myself and others on the issues.

Consider citizen Rich Scheck’s words below.

Sharon (signature)

Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

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CCI Investigative Trip to Russia 2022

February 1, 2022

Dear CCI Followers,

Never has it been more important for Americans to get eyes and ears on ground in Russia… than today. We U.S. citizens have had a heavy barrage of propaganda regarding Russia from the highest sources in our country, most of whom have never been to Russia or certainly not in the past 20 years. It is time for a large group of responsible American citizens to get real information about how Russian citizens think and live at all levels, in addition to how regional officials respond to citizens, and top leaders see themselves and their population across Russia.

CCI takes pride in its long history starting with its first Citizen Diplomacy trip in 1983. We have numerous human connections all across Russia, thanks to the former CCI programs we initiated which were funded by the U.S. State Department and leading American foundations.

We have been watching all of the parameters surrounding CCI’s next investigative trip to Russia. This will be the most comprehensive and largest travel to Russia to date, by any organization including our own. At present we have close to 50 applications for the trip.

How can we best lead a delegation during this very challenging 2022 environment?

For starters, we need to be sure the environment is relatively safe regarding Covid.Secondly, we need to be assured that war with Ukraine is no longer being pushed. I believe both of these aspects will be under reasonable control, hopefully within the next month.

We at CCI need to make a final decision to travel by March 1 at the latest.

Our choices are listed below:

1.  Make the full trip as planned for the whole group June 22 to July 5, 2022. Or …

2.  Divide 2022 travelers in two trips:  June/July and a second delegation in early September.
The advantage would be a longer time to market a second trip in the autumn.

3.  We will educate travelers on current Russian requirements for Covid and its variants.
Likely these requirements will shift between now and September.
There are many health tips we will recommend that can be started even now.

4.  Some of you are ready to travel in the midst of challenges; others are more cautious.
So we hope to provide solutions that are good for all American participants.

5.  We feel it critical to educate Americans on numerous aspects of Russia by sending you to multiple cities and towns to     experience precisely what is going on across Russia.
Ask any questions you wish, request counter-part introductions, interview journalists, etc.

6.  CCI ReportOut in St. Petersburg: each traveler shares their experiences in regional cities.
This is a 360 degree session which gives all participants a serious look at Russia today.

So much disinformation and propaganda has been widely circulated about Russia, that it is impossible for Americans to get an accurate picture of what is going on there unless they experience the country themselves. This pervasive lack of knowledge about one’s perceived enemy is exceedingly dangerous not only for us and Russians, but to the whole world.

Our former U.S. travelers tell us their CCI trips opened up a whole new mentality for them, a completely new view of the world and our responsibility to preserve life on this planet.

CCI makes no money on these trips. Each trip is costed out depending on factors you will choose for yourself. Trip costs can range from bare bones, economy, mainstream, to elite trips. More will be explained when you send in your application for travel in 2022.

We hope to hear from you soon! Any and all questions will be answered.

Sharon (signature)

Sharon Tennison
Center for Citizen Initiatives

Russia-Ukraine Crisis De-escalating

Dear CCI Friends,

The threat of Russia attacking Ukraine is beginning to unravel. Russian troops are on their side of the border to send a strong message. NATO and the United States are now being checkmated by France, Germany and other European countries that need international trade to continue.

The day before the article below appeared, I was sitting in my St. Petersburg flat interviewing Dmitri Orlov, an internationally known critic of both Russia and U.S. policy.

Orlov totally rejected the notion that war would break out and gave logical reasons why.

We can breathe more easily now that the situation is becoming clearer. Did Biden not know the reality of the situation? Who was giving his handlers information? Asking questions earlier could avoid a period like this in the future.

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