Communicated by Foreign Ministery Spokesman Jerusalem, 28 March 1999 FM Sharon Directs to Open a Consulate in Saint Petersburg   Israeli Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon has instructed Foreign Ministry Director-General Eytan Benstur to take the appropriate action in order to open an Israeli consulate in Russia, in the city of Saint Petersburg, as part of the effort to promote relations with Russia and to strengthen ties with the Jewish community in that country. Minister Sharon's directive follows upon the meetings he held last week in Russia, in which it was decided to seek ways to strengthen the diplomatic ties between Israel and Russia. Today (28 March), Foreign Minister Sharon received Russian Ambassador to Israel Mikhail Bogdanov for a meeting, in order follow up on Foreign Minister Sharon and Prime Minister Netanyahu's recent visit to Russia. Ambassador Bogdanov met with Minister Sharon in order to promote the implementation of the decisions made in the meetings which took place in Russia with Prime Minister Primakov and Foreign Minister Ivanov regarding mutual diplomatic, strategic and economic issues.