Editor, In response to Michael Hetzer's Moscowville column of June 22, he is certainly correct that the Swiss study only shows the top end of the scale for Moscow expenses. However, Mr. Hetzer has himself described only the bottom end in suggesting that a $600-per-month apartment and a Moscow telephone line would suffice for conducting effective business here. The "savvy" often have to balance a hectic schedule with a full to-do list during their short stays here. A visitor should have a convenient, safe and efficient environment in order to conduct business effectively. Such expense studies are sold to Fortune 500 companies who must accommodate their expatriate staff in a way comparable to that of their home bases. In this respect, Moscow is among the world's most expensive cities. What becomes clear from such expense studies is that there is no middle ground in Moscow, only overpriced Western services versus more-often-than-not inadequate local services that are furthermore quite difficult to find. Unfortunately, it also becomes evident that Moscow is the city in which you get the least value for your money and the least choice of where to spend it. And that is not the fault of the Radisson's coffee drinkers. Michael L.Oster Managing Director Oster & Company
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