European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 19, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Vessels from the soviet Navy docked in the foreground undergo repairs in Vladivostok. In the upper left Are facilities for the fishing and merchant fleets. Strategic russian City is opening for business at1�?z by Edith m. Leder Erthe associated press Vladivostok a part of the rapidly disappearing soviet Union a will lift a 40-year veil of secrecy Jan. 1 with grandiose dreams of becoming another san Francisco and living up to its name ruler of the East the soviet military whose Gray warships dominate the spectacular Pailk Harbor has finally agreed to open the City to foreigners. Vladivostok already has the Welcome mat out for potential investors. Seedy hotel lobbies Bustle with businessmen from Japan the United states South Korea China and Taiwan. Toyota has opened a serve e Center or the Many japanese cars that Dodge through the potholed streets. Dozens of people line up outside the first soviet american boutique for True k suits and Blue jeans. Americans Are completing Quot a feed Grain agreement to help alleviate the meat shortage. Quot Vladivostok should be a world class port the meeting Point of East and West and Japan Quot said Valery Lozovoy vice chairman of the regional government s exec live committee. In the late id sos soviet Leader Nikita s. Khrushchev dreamed of turning Vladivostok into another san Francisco. There was t enough Money however and the military bulked at exposing its Pacific Headquarters to prying foreign eyes. The end of the cold War May have it hanged the political climate but it did no to melt the local brass they vetoed an initial attempt to open the Ity last Spring on Security grounds. Now president Boris n. Yeltsin of the russian Republic has gone ahead with a Dei tee in september that. Vladivostok will be opened to foreigners their businesses and ships when the new Veur begins. For Vladimir Kuznetsov a i it ear old it Ondomisi Yeltsin chose in october to head i he regional government opening the i it is a dream ome True. Quot it is my aim to make Vladivostok a business and commercial Venter not Only of the Region but of the Eastern part it it Russia in 10 Vears Kun nets it a. Vvhs a Stu the City first As a Nuvy Saili a. Said 111 an interview Quot the Headquarters of the Par it Fleet will remain Here and ships will remain Here but i am sure it will t ease to become a military sensitive military communications and Selt Unity operations Are being moved out but Dmitry Crig Rovit a vice chairman of the regional legislature said lire move will take time because of the Cost. Vladivostok is the closest soviet port to Australia a two week journey from the United slates and Only 4jr> Miles irom Japan. Thai bodes Well Lor Trade but not even optimists like Kuznetsov exper t Quick results. The dire econ nah situation ult Ross the country has made investors exceedingly cautious. Quot we have a very weak Milru Alrui Tuie Quot eng Orvii h said. Quot we need hotels commune actions and transport Quot still for both businessmen and tourism officials there is the vision of san Francisco the Hills trolleys and Harbor views so like those of Vladivostok. Levinskaya Street the main thoroughfare has a it Erlam r harm. Its architecture ranges trom gothic and Vermun baroque to modern and turn of the a in lure russian. Groups of Pink i heeled Young sailors an everywhere trailing Blar k ribbons on their White Sailor hats. But signs of hard times abound. F he it it s Hills Are blanketed with monotonous dilapidated High Rise apartments. A Olden i Lorri Bay mag Nick ent trom afar is polluted. Sidewalks Are broken. When it Rains Rivers of water Rush Down streets bet Ause of poor drainage leaving seas of mud. I Ong Lutes it url out of near empty food shops where Staples Are rationed. Some residents worry that opening the it Ity will Iru reuse the already High i rime level. Alexei Chirkov a it year old retired Sailor who helped Terry . Frigates and minesweepers trom Alaska during world War ii Respi aider i Quot he to it i reign is won t Rob f or Maria an open r Ity Means Progress. I Hope when Vladivostok e opened there will be us. Mud in the said Yelena Ipi Henko i in strut ten Engineer Quot i Hope to gel a interesting no in sign Rise joint Vonti ire Quot. Per a is u ,1 lot of Lor Eigner a. It 01 be hem. It will i i i i a Quot in read it their said omd Ivanov i an 1 l it to 11 a i Wirker it will make us More do Ipi med and make in work harder. Ii nime the Sovie people have grown la the military a secret a Hie of the Many is i rets in Vladivostok is How Maiu Ury personnel Are stationed there the t Ity has 7it and a i or Ding to i h a estimates about military. Met Ludrig families sin it e its founding m hib Vladivostok has been entwined with the armed inn e. Tvs Lor atm on the sea of Japan made the port an important Supply depot in the two world wars her Ause of the Harbor kept open a n a honkers in Winter it is the most Impi land naval enl i on rhe Pult Itu it Oas Wieri lower sir Luerl irom the Kremlin to the a Public s alter the tailed r on Fri aug Al v i Idle inti in gamed a Sara legit positron m the ,.mu re Publ with Bantu sea Loris i Ori trolled Hgt. Ind Openden a pub land k sea pot in the hand. Of i la to i a me and Evirgia i Hose on the i a 1111 11 e even More i r n for i a 111 it i Lair i v. Erlam that in the Das ahead this it Ity will be i valuable a t i Todel Liei loll it a i Girup end i i o ii 11 o 11111 a a 11 i he a Xot ruled press det Ember i 1�?~wl stripes mjg Asine i
