[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9630-S9632]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HIGH RUSSIAN HONOR TO IOWAN JOHN CHRYSTAL
Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, John Chrystal, an outstanding
Iowan, is one of only two Americans to be awarded the Order of
Friendship, the highest honor that the Government of Russia can bestow
on a noncitizen. This award, which was given at the behest of Russian
President Boris Yeltsin, was presented at a ceremony in Des Moines, IA,
by the Russian Ambassador to the United States, Yuli M. Vorontsov. It
has been my privilege to have John as a close personal friend for many
years, and I am extremely proud of his achievement in receiving this
high and well-deserved honor.
Under Russian law, the Order of Friendship, which was established in
1994 by President Yeltsin, ``is awarded to persons for significant
contribution to strengthening friendship and cooperation between
nations and nationalities, for helping the development of the Russian
economy, for especially fruitful activities in scientific development,
for bringing together and mutually enriching the cultures of nations
and nationalities, and for strengthening peace and friendship between
nations.'' John was honored for all of these reasons and in recognition
of his 70th birthday, which was December 11 of last year.
John has had a long and distinguished career as a farmer and banker,
and is recognized as a leading expert on agricultural, trade and
economic matters involving the former Soviet Union. He has long worked
to improve trade relations between our nation and the countries of the
former Soviet Union and to help those countries modernize and
restructure their agriculture and food systems. As a farmer himself,
John has real credibility when he talks with farmers in Russia, Ukraine
or one of the other countries of the NIS.
John has traveled to Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, and other nations of
the former Soviet Union some 50 to 60 times since 1959, representing
our State of Iowa and our Nation as a private-citizen ambassador of
good will and understanding. In addition, he has been remarkably
generous in hosting many exchanges and delegations from those countries
to our Nation and our State of Iowa. John has known personally all of
the recent leaders of the Soviet Union and Russia and is well known
among farmers and policy makers in the countries of the former Soviet
Union.
We Iowans are tremendously proud of all the good work that John
Chrystal has done over the years to help improve food and agriculture
systems in the former Soviet Union and to foster stronger ties and a
deeper level of understanding among our peoples.
Mr. President, I ask that a number of articles pertaining to the
awarding of the Order of Friendship to John Chrystal be printed in the
Record.
The article follows:
[[Page S9631]]
[From the Carroll, IA, Daily Times Herald, June 24, 1996]
Chrystal Earns High Russian Honor
(By Butch Heman)
John Chrystal jokes that dozens of times he's gone to
Russia, ``one of the few major nations in the world that
we've never had a war with,'' and apparently hasn't angered
anybody there yet.
Russia honored the rural Coon Rapids man today with its
highest honor bestowed on a foreigner: the Order of
Friendship.
Russia's ambassador to the United States, Yuli Vorontsov,
presented the award during a ceremony at The Des Moines Club
in Des Moines.
President Boris Yelstin established the Order of Friendship
in 1994. It is warded to persons for significant
contributions toward ``strengthening friendship and
cooperation between nations and nationalities, for helping
the development of the Russian economy, for especially
fruitful activities in scientific development, for bringing
together and mutually enriching the cultures of nations and
nationalities, and for strengthening the peace and friendship
between nations.''
The Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., said Chrystal was
being honored for activities in all those areas, according to
a press release.
The other American to receive it was astronaut Norman
Thagard, the first U.S. citizen to live aboard the Russian
space station Mir.
Chrystal, who has been visiting Russia, the Ukraine,
Georgia and other parts of the former Soviet Union for 36
years, was chosen for the award at the urging of Yeltsin.
Since 1959 he has been helping those countries modernize
farming and agriculture infrastructure.
Chrystal has known all Russian leaders--from Nikita
Khrushchev through Yeltsin--and most of their agricultural
ministers.
``I've traveled from the Baltic States to Vladivostok, from
the permafrost to palm trees. I'm more widely traveled in
Russia than I am in the U.S.,'' he said with a chuckle.
He observed the evolution from collective state-owned farms
to ``a modern attempt at democracy that has not yet been
achieved.''
Chrystal teasingly says he's done more criticizing of
Russian agriculture than assisting.
``I've always been anxious to better our relations with
Russia because I think it can become an economic partner with
the U.S.,'' he said.
Russia is not a third world nation by any means. Chrystal
said, describing it as a place with vast natural resources
and a very well-educated populace that survived 1,000 years
of autocracy under the czars and communism.
The country has some grave faults, mainly no management of
culture by competitive ideas and no cash, he said.
``And they are having a social, political and economic
revolution simultaneously and without blood, which is
certainly one of the first times in the history of the
world,'' Chrystal said.
A big problem for Russia is that change has to happen
quickly, he said.
``When I was growing up on the farm we had a two-row
planter, and when the neighbor had a four-row planter, boy
that was a big deal and we had to have one too,'' Chrystal
said.
``Imagine these 44-row planters we have today and a
satellite that tells you when to increase fertilizer. It's
the beginning of a new era, and the Russians are going to
have to run faster if they want to be in the same place. It's
a really difficult but exciting time for them.''
``I suppose it will be another decade or generation before
they achieve the goals that I hold dear, but I have no doubt
they'll achieve them.''
Chrystal said that despite the fall of communism, less
stability exists in the region. Communism, although a
government by edict, maintained control, he said.
``That's not to say this isn't a much better situation,''
he said, noting that while the Soviet Union might be dead but
economic relationships among its former members exist.
America has an opportunity to form friendly relations with
the newly independent countries, and Iowa, because of its
agriculture, has a special chance, Chrystal said.
His goals are to have the federal government encourage
American business to form joint ventures with Russian firms.
Chrystal already services on the Overseas Private Investment
Corp., a government agency that helps developing nations.
``I think our foreign aid ought to be practical rather than
theoretical,'' he said. ``Countries that are hard-up think
less about democracy than they do about tomorrow.''
Chrystal recently spoke about agribusiness at a seminar in
Moscow.
``I detect already a substantial change in attitude,'' he
said. ``. . . The tone of the participants was something new.
They were talking about competition, efficiencies, cropping
and ventures that were either new or in cooperation with
various aspects of the economy.''
Even through he's visited exotic locales and rubbed elbows
with international dignitaries, Chrystal says he gets the
most happiness out of what he sees right here in Carroll
County.
``I think the most successful thing I've done is seeing
farmers in Carroll County entertain Soviets, Russians and
Ukrainians. The hosts have fallen in love with these people
and even traveled to their homes. That's really thrilling to
see Americans develop great relationships with them,'' He
said.
The 70-year-old Chrystal is a native of Coon Rapids.
Chairman of Iowa Savings Bank of Coon Rapids and Carroll and
a director at several rural Iowa banks as well as Bankers
Trust Co. of Des Moines. Chrystal was president of Bankers
Trust from 1984-86.
For many years he was a grain and cattle farmer and is
still a partner in his family's farm operation.
Chrystal is a former state banking superintendent, former
member of the Iowa Board of Regents and former president of
the Iowa Bankers Association and the Iowa Civil Liberties
Union. He is also a trustee of Grinnel College and a director
of F.M. Hubbell and Sons Co.
``I really don't know how I was chosen for this award, but
I'm very honored and I certainly haven't expected it,'' her
remarked.
``I was always afraid I'd make the Russians mad, but
obviously I haven't,'' he added with a laugh. ``And who
would've though a fella from Coon Rapids would get to know
all these Russian leaders?''
Among the other recipients of the Russian Order of
Friendship is South Africa President Nelson Mandela.
Chrystal said some of the Russian officials attending
today's ceremony would be staying in Iowa for several days
and he hopes to bring some to a Carroll Chamber of Commerce
reception Friday night at Iowa Savings Bank in Carroll.
____
[From the Des Moines Register, June 25, 1996]
Russian Friendship Honor to Chrystal
(By Jerry Perkins)
John Chrystal, Iowa banker and longtime agricultural
adviser to the Soviet Union and Russia, received on Monday
the Order of Friendship, the highest honor Russia can bestow
on a foreigner.
Chrystal, 70, of Coon Rapids is one of two Americans to
receive the award, which also has been given to heads of
state such as South African president Nelson Mandela.
Yuli Vorontsov, Russian ambassador to the United States,
praised Chrystal for his many years of advising first the
Soviet Union and now Russia.
``This is the highest Russian civilian award,'' Vorontsov
said, ``It is for leaders of nations and leading citizens. It
is highly regarded in Russia. We appreciate him very much in
Russia.''
Chrystal has made frequent visits to the former Soviet
Union and Russia for 36 years.
In an interview at The Des Moines Register, Vorontsov
predicted that Russian President Boris Yeltsin will win re-
election easily on July 3 when Russians vote in a runoff
election.
On June 16, Yeltsin narrowly defeated Communist Gennady
Zyuganov, 35 percent to 32 percent, in the first round of
voting but didn't garner enough votes to prevent a runoff.
Yeltsin has been endorsed by the third-place finisher,
Alexander Lebed, who has joined Yeltsin's government, and the
fourth-place finisher, Grigory Yavlinsky, an economic
reformer.
Those two endorsements should deliver enough votes to give
Yeltsin a comfortable 55 percent to 45 percent victory over
Zyuganov, Vorontsov said.
After the July 3 runoff, Yeltsin will reshuffle his
government, go to work on the social problems confronting
Russia and work to make it possible for Russian citizens to
own land, Vorontsov said.
A decree issued by Yeltsin to make it possible for Russians
to own land has been stopped in the Russian parliament, he
said.
Yeltsin hopes to be able to push the measure through the
parliament after his re-election.
If he wins, Yeltsin will serve his second four-year term.
Russian law prevents a president from serving more than two
terms.
``Economic reform in Russia will continue, but we will not
be in a rush,'' Vorontsov said. ``We will analyze before
making changes and bad things should be thrown away.''
It is unrealistic to expect change to come swiftly, he
said.
Five to seven years will be needed to turn around the
industrial economy and 10 years will be needed before
agriculture is put on track.
Chrystal said Russian agriculture reforms have been hurt by
a lack of infrastructure, including credit, roads and
machinery.
Vorontsov agreed.
``We've made very meager progress'' in agriculture, he
said. ``It's not as we should have done and that's where we
should concentrate now.''
Developing a market-oriented economy has been slower than
the Russian government has wanted, Vorontsov said, but
changes have been made.
``Some seeds of a new market economy have been sown,'' he
said.
Vorontsov said corruption is not being punished in Russia
and it will be very hard to stamp out because of the well-
entrenched Russian bureaucracy.
``Corruption is unpunishable now,'' he said. ``Corrupt
people should be sent to jail, but it will be very difficult.
The bureaucracy is still there.''
However, Vorontsov said foreign investment is needed in the
Russian economy.
``Participate with us'' in the Russian economy, he said.
____
[[Page S9632]]
[From the Des Moines Register, June 26, 1996]
A Mark of Friendship
There are corn and hogs, but a lesser known state hallmark
is Iowa's long-term relationship with the former Soviet Union
that has continued with present-day Russia.
The essential ingredient: people--Russians and Iowans who
have moved to a productive common ground where international
bridges are built from a shared interest in agriculture and
progress.
Among the Iowans is John Chrystal, a 70-year-old Coon
Rapids resident, Iowa banker and agricultural adviser to the
Soviet Union and now Russia.
Chrystal is a charming and insightful fountain of memories
about meetings with Mikhail Gorbachev, observations of Soviet
communism and of Russians coming up to him just to touch the
fabric of his--at the time--all-polyester wardrobe.
On Monday, Chrystal was given the highest award that
Russians bestow on foreigners: the Order of Friendship.
Praised by the Russian ambassador to the United States,
Yuli Vorontsov, Chrystal joins a noted group of Order of
Friendship honorees that includes South African President
Nelson Mandela.
It's proud recognition for Chrystal, but also for Iowa and
its contribution to the futures of two great nations.
____
[From the Nebraska World-Herald, July 7, 1996]
Russia Found a Good Friend in Outspoken Iowan
(By Rainbow Rowell)
Coon Rapids, Iowa.--A statue of Lenin that once sat in
Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev's office now sits in John
Chrystal's Coon Rapids farmhouse.
It's as much of a surprise to see it there as it is to meet
an agricultural adviser and friend of the Russian people in
this small Iowa town.
Chrystal has spent 36 years cultivating a relationship with
the former Soviet Union. Last month, Russia awarded him the
Order of Friendship, the highest honor it bestows on
foreigners.
Chrystal has become an expert on the affairs of the Soviet
Union. He said he's an accidental expert. He never had any
particular interest in the nation, never was especially
interested in foreign affairs.
And he certainly didn't expect the Russians to ask for his
help. Yet that's almost exactly what happened.
Chrystal folded his 6-foot-2-inch frame into a living room
chair last week and started talking about the history of his
unique friendship.
A Soviet delegation came to Iowa in 1956, looking for
trade. They found Chrystal's uncle, Roswell ``Bob'' Garst,
and a whole lot of seed corn. Garst visited the Soviet Union
a few times but didn't feel like going when he was invited in
1960.
So Garst sent Chrystal, who never had been east of South
Bend, Ind., in his place.
Chrystal thought that first visit would be his last, he
said. Communist officials took him on a tour of the country's
key agricultural areas and he was critical of their farming
methods.
Surely, Chrystal recalled, the Soviets wouldn't ask him to
return. But they did, again and again.
And after every trip, he wondered if there would be another
invitation, never really counting on it.
Chrystal didn't quit his many day jobs to become a
diplomat. When he wasn't visiting the Soviet Union--or later,
Russia and the other independent states--Chrystal worked as
partner on the family farm, a successful banker and a
Democratic party leader.
``I've been very fortunate,'' Chrystal said. ``People that
I've been associated with let me do other things. Maybe they
wanted to get rid of me. That never occurred to me until this
second.''
Slim chance. His colleagues described Chrystal as a rare
patriot, a man who is at once intelligent and humble, able
and energetic. At 70, he is chairman of the Iowa Savings Bank
in Coon Rapids and serves on many boards.
Bill Hess, the bank's president, said Chrystal is ``Tops.
Mr. Integrity, spelled with capital T's.''
``He's a wonderful human being,'' Valentina Slater Fominykh
said. ``Your country must be very proud.''
Ms. Fominykh, who now lives in Des Moines, first met
Chrystal in 1989. She was a Soviet foreign-language
professor, part of a delegation to Iowa.
She described Chrystal as a fair man who isn't afraid to
express his opinions.
People respect that, Dale Dooley said. Dooley of Johnston,
Iowa, worked with Chrystal to help form Iowa Transfers
System, now Shazam Inc.
The company almost failed, Dooley said, but Chrystal's
confidence, contacts and know-how saved it.
``It amazed me,'' he said, ``the depth of that man's
knowledge and complexity.''
Chrystal has vision, Ms. Fominykh said, and that vision
helped him foresee major changes in the Soviet Union.
``He was a loyal friend when friendships with the Soviet
Union were not in vogue yet,'' she said.
Chrystal downplays any risks he may have taken by
befriending the communist nation. When he talks about the
Cold War, it hardly seems like enough to send Americans
scrambling for their bomb shelters.
``I don't think we were ever going to attack Russia,''
Chrystal said. ``I don't think we're an attacking country,
and Russia is isolationist.''
He said he never hated communists, never thought they were
an evil people. He saw their empire as one on the cusp of
great change.
``I never questioned what I was doing,'' Chrystal said. ``I
never questioned that they would have to change and would be
an enormous market for us.''
His willingness and frankness made him a valued adviser to
the rapidly changing Soviet government. Chrystal is widely
known and well-respected there, Ms. Fominykh said.
``People listen to what Chrystal has to say,'' she said.
The Soviets respected his opinion because they knew he was
independent from the U.S. government, that he was speaking
only for himself, Chrystal said.
That respect brought him close to leaders such as former
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev and Gorbachev. He speaks
easily about the two and their roles in history. He speaks
with confidence and with the insight of an eyewitness.
Chrystal never counted his many visits. Some years, he
didn't visit at all. Other years, he made three or four
trips. He figures he has spent about a year and a half
there total.
Yet he never learned to speak Russian. He has picked up
some. If the conversation is about agriculture, he probably
can follow along.
``I never thought that I would be going back so much,''
Chrystal said, explaining why he never learned. ``I was a
farmer and a banker and I would have had to drive to Ames to
take lessons. Maybe I was lazy.''
Chrystal said he sees his role as agricultural adviser
coming to an end.
``I don't think I have as much to offer anymore,'' he said.
Russia will get along fine without him, he said. The
country is becoming more and more stable. Those who predict a
return to communism, he said, should consider all the nation
has accomplished since the Soviet Union dissolved.
The still-struggling government needs independence, he
said.
``I think they'll succeed, and I think they'll succeed on
their own. The faster the better for us.''
He already sees that independence growing, he said, giving
as an example an agribusiness seminar he attended in Moscow
in May.
``For the first time, I met young people who were talking a
new kind of economic language,'' who were ambitious and
determined.
After an hour of talking and tracing the history of his
ties to Russia, Chrystal looked around his living room, at
the many gifts and souvenirs from his travels--at the
paintings, the carved clock and the colorful rug. He has many
Russian friendships that will outlife his official
relationship with the government.
``My impression is that there will be a new critic,'' he
said, smiling, ``which is fine.''
____________________