Consuls bring trade, tourism opportunity to Nevada

When a delegation of Bulgarian businessmen visited Las Vegas earlier this month looking for trade opportunities between their country and the state of Nevada, they were hosted by Bob Miller, not in his capacity as former governor, but as the state's honorary consul to Bulgaria.

It's part of a growing trend of what David Henley, former owner of the Lahontan Valley News and Nevada's honorary consul to the South American country of Uruguay, calls "grass-roots diplomacy."

During Wednesday's Legislature session, state Assemblywoman Valerie Weber, R-Las Vegas, introduced some of Nevada's Consular Corps to state lawmakers on the occasion of the group's 25th anniversary. Members representing Italy, Chile, Japan, France, Mexico and Uruguay were present.

"It's great news for our state in terms of trade and tourism, academic and cultural exchanges." she said.

Henley was equally upbeat. "Last year, Nevada sent $2.7 billion worth of goods overseas," he said. "That's up 41 percent from the year before."

That ranks Nevada fourth in percentage of foreign-trade growth among states. From gaming machines to agricultural products, at least some of that credit belongs to the little-known force of honorary emissaries.

From Nevada Honorary Consul to Mexico, Rafael Vega, whose work lies in "protecting the human rights of Mexican workers and trying to build bridges of commerce, culture and tourism" with a staff of 10; to Honorary Consul to Chile Paulina Biggs de Sparkuhl, who works solo and sees her job as "a way to stay in touch with my people," consuls are local lines reaching out to foreign connections.

Duties include protecting the interests of their designated country's foreign nationals and business interests, rendering services to tourists in need of legal help and dealing with passport and visa issues.

In addition to former governor Miller, former lieutenant governor Lonnie Hammargren is also active in the group as honorary consul to Belize.

"It's a very distinguished membership," said Henley.

After serving as an administrator in the Clark County School District for 32 years, Honorary Consul of Japan to Nevada Wayne N. Tanaka is busy organizing a sumo tournament at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas.

Speaking frankly of the recent U.S.-France rift over the war in Iraq, the dean of Nevada honorary consuls (and food and beverage director for the Palms Hotel), André Yves Portal of France, said "I think for the French people, the thing is over. We're ready to move on; move forward."

The consuls work in conjunction with Gayle Anderson, Nevada's chief of diplomatic relations and protocol, under the Lt. Governor's Commission on Economic Development.

More than excellent posture

It takes more than excellent posture and a munificent world view to become a member of the club.

Applicants are reviewed numerous times by the counsel general of their nation, the minister of foreign affairs and then by the U.S. State Department, which conducts an extensive FBI check before accrediting potential consuls and granting them limited diplomatic immunity.

With the positives the diplomats have generated, Anderson says she hopes to nearly double their numbers over the next few years.

n Contact reporter Peter Thompson at pthompson@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1215.