JULIE OTTERBEIM, head of the US Agency for International Development environmental programs in Central and Eastern Europe, discussed USAID strategies for Central and Eastern Europe for the future with REC representatives in October. The organization plans to curb activities in CEE, but as Otterbeim explained they hope to help ensure continued progress in the region.

  On November 5, diplomatic officers were at the REC to attend the ambassadors' briefing which follows each meeting of the Board of Directors. Executive Director Jernej Stritih discussed the future of the REC and explained the results from the October meeting.

  JIM LAMONT, from the Environment Ministry of Northern Ireland and John Pinkerton of IRTU, Industrial Research and Technology Unit in Belfast visited in REC in November. As part of a program organized with the British Council the guests met with REC team leaders to explore possibilities for future cooperation.

  The new REC conference center was bustling in mid-November accommodating back-to-back meetings. The REC Public Participation Working Group meeting brought in nearly 30 representatives to evaluate environmental decisionmaking in the region and establish concrete indicators for monitoring the implementation of public participation in the process. The REC also co-hosted a workshop with the OECD on capacity building in the CEE environmental goods and services industries. REC's Winston Bowman called this meeting a turning point in the REC's efforts to support CEE environmental businesses.