The Ukrainian Weekly 1993
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Publishtd by the Ukrainian National Association Inc.. a fraternal non-profit association rainianWee Vol. LXI No. 16 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 18,1993 50 cents Ukraine's Parliament deliberates START pact by Borys Юутепко Special to The Ukrainian Weekly KYYIV — Ukraine's Parliament will discuss ratification of START I this month, and the issue is already being debated in that body's standing committees during closed sessions. A sec ond reading of the arms reduction treaty's military/political pro visions took place on April 9. Recognizing that Ukraine is now under constant pressure to ratify START and that parliamentary deputies are forbidden to discuss their closed deliberations with the press, Yuriy Kostenko, Ukraine's minister of the environment and the chairman of the special parliamentary committee on preparations for the ratifica tion of START I, held a press conference on April 10. In his opening statement, Mr. Kostenko noted that it is wrong to criticize Ukraine for delaying ratification of the pact since the United States had taken more than a year to approve START I. Meanwhile, Ukraine has been examining the pact for less than three months. That said. Minister Kostenko noted Ukraine's concern about the dismantling of nuclear weapons already transferred to Russia. Ukraine's observers are allowed to witness the dismantling process only up to the point when the nuclear material is removed from a warhead. However, they are not allowed to observe what then happens with that material, which can readily be reused in toфedoes, bombs, etc. In addition, Mr. Kostenko pointed to the prohibitive costs for Ukraine of dismantling the missile silos and mobile launchers located on its territory. Ukraine is not so wealthy that it could assume responsibihty for these costs, he explained. Varoslava Surmach-Mills (Continued on page 20) Parliament approves Ukraine's budget NEWS ANALYSIS: Christopher by Serhiy Dmytrychenko deficit is 800 billion karbovantsi smaller Special to IntelNews than projected in the govern ment first version. For the most part, denies refusal to meet Kuchma KYYIV — Following four days of deputies recognized these estimates are by Irene Jarosewich firmed the Ukrainian government's intense debate, the Ukrainian Parlia subject to radical changes in the fu commitment to non-nuclear status. ment, on Friday, April 9, approved ture, mostly because of variations in the WASHINGTON - Within hours of The quick exchange of allegation Ukraine's budget and work plan price of oil and gas. Of more than 400 the publication of an article in The New and denial of allegation highlights some for 1993. The budget, adopted in its deputies, 286 voted for the budget. York Times on April 8 that reported of the tensions and frustrations felt by third version, includes a projected In all, 100 deputies signed up to President Bill Clinton and Viee-Presi- those observing and involved in the : deficit of 1.2 trillion karbovantsi. This participate in the debate, but only 51 dent Al Gore refused to meet with debate regarding U.S. foreign policy had a chance to speak. Nearly all of Ukraine's prime minister, Leonid Kuch- towards Ukraine. During the visit of them had strong criticism for the ПШ, as a signal to pressure Ukraine Ukraine's- Foreign Minister Anatoliy Pynzenyk repiacei as government's proposal. to give up its nuclear weapon, Secretary Zlenko to Washington several weeks Most deputies from the Socialist of State Warren Christopher issued a ago, a Defense Department spokesman minister of economy block criticized the government for denial in which he stated that "the confirmed that the United States wants policies that, in their opinion, are ra United States is always anxious to meet to dismantle the world nuclear weapons KYYIV — Minister of the Economy with representatives of Ukraine." arsenal — including its own, Russia's Viktor Pynzenyk was replaced on pidly impoverishing the population. Deputy Vasyl Kozarenko said the However, he added, "Washington and Ukraine's — as niuch as possible. Tuesday, April 13, with a former mili current minimal cost-of-living allow wants Kyyiv to live up to the commit tary industrialist who is more likely to be In a television interview on April 8, ance provides for an inhuman living ments it has made to the previous U.S. Mr. Talbott said "the United States able to work with the Parliament of standard. administration with respect to ratifica government has had very close and Ukraine, reported Reuters. Right-wing deputies, on the other tion" of START I and the Nuclear Non- continuous ties with and consultations President Leonid Kravchuk replaced hand, criticized the government for Proliferation Treaty. with the Ukrainian government... the Mr. Pynzenyk with Yuriy Bannikov. a allocating too much of the proposed The New York Times story was theme has been repeated over and over close associate of Prime Minister Leonid budget's expenditures to social pro reportedly based on information that again from the American side: Ukraine Kuchma. Mr. Pynzenyk , however, will grams. They said even the world's came from the office of Strobe Talbott, made a promise a year ago to ratify the retain his position as deputy prime min richest nation could not afford U- special advisor to Mr. Christopher on START I treaty and accede to the Non- ister. kraine's social service programs. Russia and the former Soviet republics. Proliferation Treaty as a non-niiclear Reuters cited sources close to the Ivan Zayets, head of the National The Embassy of Ukraine also res state. And we consider it very impor Council parliamentary faction, criti government who said the move dented ponded to The New York Times report tant — and I might add very important cized the budget for "insignificant" and the subsequent State Department from Ukraine's own standpoint and the young reformer's authority, but allocations to farmers and entre from the standpoint of Ukrainian inter would generate little change in the mar- denial with a six-point statement calling preneurs. He also said the govern- the allegations in the news report ests — to giwt up those nuclear weapons (Continued on page 16) (Continued on page 16) "groundless." The Embassy also recon (Continued on page 10) THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 18,1993 No. 16 RESEARCH REPORT: The shaping Newsbriefs of Ukrainian attitudes on nukes on Ukraine by Bohdan Nahaylo principles: not to maintain, produce or acquire nuclear weapons." This far- With the dissolution of the Soviet reaching precept was accepted without New committee on disarmament visit, "We have come to Ukraine not to Union, Ukraine became in theory, if not any major dissent and was duly en demand the return of territory but with in practice, the world's third most shrined in the final version of the •KYYIV — Ukraine's newly estab the aim of developing friendship." Mr. powerful nuclear state. Although in its Declaration of Sovereignty, which was lished National Committee on Nastase expressed support for coopera first assertion of the republic's state adopted on July 16 by the striking Disarmament held its first meeting here tion in helping the Romanian minority in sovereignty, the Ukrainian Parliament margin of 355 to four by a Ukrainian on April 7. Headed by Deputy Foreign Ukraine and the Ukrainian minority in had declared Ukraine's intention not to Parliament in which the conservative Minister Borys Tarasiuk, the committee's Romania. be a nuclear state, when it came to Communist majority outnumbered the main task is to coordinate the formula He also reportedly showed "special getting rid of the nuclear weapons democratic opposition by roughly two tion and implementation of Ukraine's interest" in President Kravchuk's initia stationed on its territory, the task to one.* policy vis a vis conventional and nuclear tive for "the creation of an Eastern proved far more complex and proble Why did the "non-nuclear" position arms control. (RFE/RL Daily Report) European security zone and holding an matic than could have been imagined. proclaimed by Ukraine's Parliament at international conference on this prob Since then Ukrainian attitudes a time of renewed Ukrainian national Kravchuk meets Romanian delegation lem." (RFE/RL Daily Report) toward nuclear weapons have changed, assertiveness not generate controversy? •KYYIV — Ukrainian President as idealism has been tempered by Quite simply, because at a time when Officers suggest retention of nukes political realism and economic prag Ukraine was only just beginning to free Leonid Kravchuk met with a Romanian matism. Today, ironically, the same itself from Moscow's control, it made parliamentary delegation headed by its •KYYIV — Members of the influen Parliament that overwhelmingly em sense both to the republic's leadership speaker, Adrian Nastase, here on April 7. tial Union of Ukrainian Officers met here braced the idea of a non-nuclear U- and to the public. The Ukrainian president said bilateral April 10-11, electing Maj. Gen. kraine appears to have serious doubts More than anything else, the trauma ties between the two countries had not Oleksarider Skipalsky the group's chair about the wisdom of unilateral nuclear and damage caused by the world's worst developed rapidly enough—alluding to man. The union also adopted a resolu disarmament and, despite considerable nuclear accident, in April 1986 at the the issue of northern Bukovyna and tion calling for maintenance of Ukraine's international pressure, is insisting that Chornobyl nuclear plant, only 80 miles southern Bessarabia— and called for the status as a nuclear power; suspension of before it can consider ratifying the north of the Ukrainian capital, Kyyiv, signing of a Ukrainian-Romanian treaty the Yalta agreement that regulates START I treaty, Ukraine's security had left a deep fear of nuclear energy, reflecting new mutual understanding.