BRAMA, Sep 29, 2003, 1:00 pm ET
Ukrainian President L.Kuchma met with Diaspora organizations
New York City — A press conference was held on Wednesday, September 24 by three major organizations representing Ukrainians in the Diaspora. It's purpose was to relate the details of a meeting that took place earlier in the day between representatives of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC), Ukrainian American Coordinating Council, Inc. (UACC), the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), and President Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine. The organizations were represented by Mr. Askold Lozynskyj, President of the UWC, Mr. Ihor Gawdiak, President of the UACC, and Mr. Michael Sawkiw, Jr., President of the UCCA. (Mr. Kuchma was in New York City last week for the opening of the 58th session of the General Assembly at the United Nations. The Ukrainian President had also met with leaders of the Jewish community earlier in the week -- see RELATED links).
(left to right):
Mr. Ihor Gawdiak, President of the UACC
Mr. Askold Lozynskyj, President of the UWC
Mr. Michael Sawkiw, Jr., President of the UCCA
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Discussed during the meeting were issues that had been raised in an open letter addressed to President Kuchma by the UWC, UACC, and the UCCA. The letter included a list of concerns starting with a worrisome agreement recently signed by Mr. Kuchma for the creation of a "Single Economic Space" with Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus. The letter further noted that Ukraine did not pay sufficient attention to the historical and social significance of the 1932-33 Famine and the heroic contributions of the "Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists - Ukrainian Insurgent Army," and questioned the inexplicable celebration of the Pereiaslav Treaty (1654), which is widely regarded as an episode in Ukraine's history that should be decried rather than glorified. The letter questioned the lack of transparency in the investigations of murdered journalist Heorhii Gongadze and National Democratic Party activist, Ivan Havdyda. Church properties as they pertain to the Orthodox Moscow Patriarchate vs. its Ukrainian counterpart, relations with the Diaspora, and problems that arose recently during the 8th World Congress of Ukrainians in Kyiv were also mentioned in the letter.
The meeting, which was called by President Kuchma, gave the representative Diaspora organizations an opportunity to request responses to the questions posed in the letter. In general, according to Mr. Lozynskyj, the President offered reasonable replies to all of their questions. Mr. Lozynskyj is satisfied that the agreement for a "Single Economic Space" in and of itself does not pose a threat to Ukraine's sovereignty. He further trusts that Mr. Kuchma will follow through with the other issues raised, making commensurate adjustments/corrections, including taking action against government officials who do not speak in Ukrainian, finding a more suitable location in Kyiv for a monument to the Famine, and making sure that OUN-UPA will be represented accurately in Ukraine's history.
Mr. Lozynskyj suggested that Ukraine's reasons for joining its neighbors in the recently signed "Single Economic Space" agreement was little more than a ruse in order to attract the attention of the European Union. He offered the example of a romantic triangle to illustrate Ukraine's position: a boy, spurned by the girl of his dreams, will make advances towards a rival girlfriend in order to make the first one envious. Thus, Ukraine, in his personal opinion, is wooing Russia because it wishes to gain the respect of the European Council. Although the Verkhovna Rada has not yet ratified the agreement, it is thought that there are sufficient votes to carry it. It is only a "framework for cooperation," and not a "working agreement," according to Mr. Lozynskyj, and he believes that opening the channels of trade with Russia and Ukraine's other neighbors will bolster its economy.
Mr. Gawdiak, on the other hand, expressed strong concerns that the economic agreement is merely the first step towards the already stated plans for coming stages in the development of a "Single Economic Space." Establishment of a customs union, followed by a common currency in the final stage, would succeed the creation of the free trade zone. It is feared that the latter stages may compromise Ukraine's still nascent independence.
Mr. Lozynskyj added that while he does not concur that the agreement is a setback for Ukraine, or that it might lead to an even closer relationship with the other three signatories, he does recognize the potential for obstructing Ukraine's path towards European integration.
Mrs. L. Dmytryshyn-Chasto, Editor-in-Chief of the National Tribune, asked for an opinion about Anton Buteiko's resignation from his post as Ambassador of Ukraine to Romania, which was done in protest to the "Single Economic Space" agreement. Mr. Buteiko, as viewed by Mr. Lozynskyj, sees political matters in black and white, rather than the gray areas that they are in reality. Conversely, Mr. Gawdiak sees Ambassador Buteiko as a man backed by many years of diplomatic skill (Anton Buteiko was Ambassador of Ukraine to the U.S. prior to his assignment to Romania), calling his resignation morally laudable.
Mr. Lozynskyj also commented on the upcoming presidential race in Ukraine, saying that he is convinced that Leonid Kuchma will not run for the position again. Mr. Vasyl Lopukh of the Ukrainian American Association, who was present at the press conference, agreed that Mr. Kuchma would probably not run for president in the next election. Mr. Lopukh later observed that should the constitutional changes that were proposed by Leonid Kuchma be approved, the role of the president would be reduced to a titular one anyway. In light of this, he predicted that Mr. Kuchma is likely to take the real position of power instead, i.e., that of Prime Minister.
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