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In May, a second round of interviews is planned in Russia, Ukraine, 

 Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. The first interviews for possible 

 candidates will be held in Georgia and Moldova in the next two months. 



Agricultural Policy Advisers—USDA has responded to requests from the 

 Russian and Kazakhstan Ministries of Agriculture for agricultural advisers to 

 assist with privatization and the movement to free market economies. 



One adviser from the Cooperative Extension Service is in Moscow serving as 

 the USDA agricultural policy adviser to the Russian Federation of Agriculture. 



The second adviser, from the Economic Research Service, is serving as 

 policy adviser to the Ministry of Agriculture in Kazakhstan. Both advisers 

 are working with the respective ministers of agriculture and other government 

 officials on the transition from a socialist economy to a free market 

 agricultural economy. 



Wholesale Markets— USDA is promoting development and expansion of 

 wholesale markets in the former Soviet Union, beginning with a series of 

 projects in Moscow. 



