In June 2000, the Liechtenstein Parliament approved the establishment of a non-resident diplomatic representation of Liechtenstein in the United States of America. Ambassador Claudia Fritsche, who was then Permanent Representative of Liechtenstein to the United Nations, was appointed non-resident ambassador in Washington, resident in New York. On 7 December 2000, Ambassador Fritsche presented her credentials to William Jefferson Clinton, who was then President of the United States. On this occasion, she described the relationship between Liechtenstein and the United States as follows:
“The relationship between Liechtenstein and the United States is based on a common commitment to democracy and a shared respect for human rights, the rule of law, tolerance and the free flow of ideas. I am convinced that Liechtenstein, through its solid domestic and foreign policies as well as its high level of political and economic continuity and stability will continue to be a trusted partner of the United States and that the friendly relations, based on the mutual respect and common values and principles, will continue to prosper and further develop in the future.“
The relations between Liechtenstein and the United States have developed significantly in recent years and gained importance. Concomitantly, there has been a greater need to cultivate contacts and obtain information, especially in connection with measures to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism  . It was determined that a transformation of the non-resident representation into a resident embassy would be necessary, in particular to establish a network of appropriate contacts. A further consideration was the newly established foreign policy goal of enhancing Liechtenstein’s reputation abroad not only as a financial center, but also as a business and industrial location. The United States is the largest export partner of Liechtenstein industry. A further element of Liechtenstein-U.S. relations is cooperation within the framework of international organizations such as the OSCE and the United Nations . In June 2002, Parliament approved the establishment of a resident embassy.
On 1 October 2002, Ambassador Claudia Fritsche and her staff moved into the new premises of the first embassy of the Principality of Liechtenstein in Washington  .
<no link text>Bilateral relations USA - Liechtenstein 
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