To meet with US public official is not easy thing if you are foreign journalist. I have couple of meetings with officials in NY and it became possible only because Paul Klebnikov Foundation support.
If officials do not know you and newspaper you are working for it is difficult for them to see any reason why should they loose their time. (Russian spy scandal made it even more difficult). The only way is recommendation from the part of somebody known to the official. As I noticed it may work. But it will take a long time before it will be possible to develop as much contacts as in native country.
Private companies' representatives and even top persons are much more opened and willing to discuss their professional topics. I have never expected but one top manager invited to come to his house to talk about energy issues. People inside private sector of economy can advise a lot of useful experts. And the experts are really eager to talk.
Independent experts who can comment on different situations in Russia from outside the country are extremely useful. Hope they will be of great helpf when I come home.
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there are several sites that offer to link journalists with experts (both US and international) in many subjects. not as good as knowing your source directly, but potentially helpful to you
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