The Ukrainian Weekly 2010, No.28

www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • Ukraine blocks the road to NATO membership – page 3. • More on U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Kyiv – pages 4-5. • Parma parish dedicates Our Lady of Pochaiv Shrine – page 9. THEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal Wnon-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXVIII No. 28 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY 11, 2010 $1/$2 in Ukraine U.S. envoy to Ukraine stops short Hillary Clinton visits Kyiv of criticizing Yanukovych policies Meets with government, opposition and NGOs by Zenon Zawada is pursuing authoritarian policies. “Some by Zenon Zawada Kyiv Press Bureau of those things, when we investigate Kyiv Press Bureau them – we do investigate very carefully KYIV – U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine the allegations – don’t turn out to be actu- KYIV – U.S. Secretary of John Tefft acknowledged troubling ally what they’re billed as. Some of them State Hillary Clinton met with reports of government pressure and cen- do, and we’ve raised them aggressively Ukrainian President Viktor sorship in Ukraine in his first press con- with the government.” Yanukovych and his foreign ference on Ukrainian politics since taking The ambassador addressed more than policy team during a one-day his post on December 2, 2009. His staff is 50 journalists and policy experts at the visit to Kyiv on July 2 in which they discussed security and in frequent discussions with the adminis- Institute of World Policy in Kyiv. Mr. defense cooperation, including tration of President Viktor Yanukovych, Tefft previously served as U.S. fulfilling the nuclear security he said. Ambassador to Georgia, where he dealt agreements reached recently in Yet Ambassador Tefft demonstrated with the South Ossetian War of 2008. Washington. the cautious approach taken by U.S. for- Therefore he’s considered among the eign policy leaders towards the Ms. Clinton offered much leading U.S. experts in dealing with the praise for the Yanukovych Yanukovych administration in his June Russian Federation. 24 remarks, abstaining from any criticism administration and refrained U.S. foreign policy towards the from criticism, despite evidence of its authoritarian policies and repeated Yanukovych administration consists of constitutional violations in order to that the government is pursuing five priorities: economic reform, trade authoritarian policies in monop- achieve pragmatic goals and maintain and energy, defense and security, fighting dialogue. olizing power, abusing the rule against corruption, and strengthening “We have concerns about democracy of law and restricting individual democracy and freedom of the press. and freedoms,” said Ambassador Tefft, rights. Ukraine’s path to economic recovery responding to The Weekly’s question She raised concerns about about whether the Ukrainian government (Continued on page 16) threats to freedom of speech Zenon Zawada and assembly with Foreign U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Affairs Minister Kostyantyn Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych shake Gryshchenko, while at the same hands at a July 2 press conference at the time stating the U.S. is “encour- Presidential Administration in Kyiv. Canadian symposium spotlights aged by your government’s commitment to support freedom of the will continue to raise those concerns. At 1914-1920 internment operations press and to take concrete steps to ensure the same time, she said the Yanukovych the independence of Ukraine’s vibrant administration has committed itself to KINGSTON, Ontario – The Canadian was held in the “Limestone City,” where media.” strengthening and advancing democratic First World War Internment Recognition in 1978 the Ukrainian Canadian commu- “And together we look forward to col- institutions. “It’s important, obviously, to Fund’s Endowment Council sponsored a nity’s campaign for acknowledgement laborating on how we can work with you translate commitments into actions, weekend-long symposium here at and redress began with an interview to advance democracy and the rule of which is part of the reform agenda that Queen’s University on June 17-20, bring- between former internee Nykola Sakaliuk law. Mr. Minister, Ukraine’s new leader- the government of Ukraine is pursuing,” ing together some 50 community activ- and Dr. Lubomyr Luciuk, then a geogra- ship has already demonstrated a commit- she added. ists, scholars, archivists, museum cura- phy student at Queens University. ment to democracy,” she stated following Following the brief press conference, tors, internee descendants and artists to The symposium schedule, facilitated by a morning meeting of the U.S.-Ukraine Ms. Clinton’s motorcade traveled through develop initiatives that will commemo- Gail Lord, revolved around four major Strategic Partnership Commission. a heavy downpour that soaked downtown rate and educate all Canadians about themes: ”A Crippling Legacy – The Ms. Clinton’s foreign policy team also Kyiv, and eventually reaching the what happened during Canada’s first Affected Communities,” moderated by Paul made it a point to meet with leaders of Presidential Administration building national internment operations of 1914- Grod, president, Ukrainian Canadian Ukrainian civil society, who reported on where she met with Mr. Yanukovych. 1920. the Yanukovych administration’s increas- Ms. Clinton said they discussed eco- It was only fitting that the symposium (Continued on page 15) ing restrictions on rights and freedoms. nomic and energy reform, and followed Ms. Clinton met with opposition leader up on Ukraine’s “historic decision to get Yulia Tymoshenko, who told her of rising rid of its stocks of highly enriched urani- authoritarianism. um by 2012,” which was announced at Ms. Tymoshenko reported on threats to the Nuclear Security Summit in Ukrainian independence, the country’s Washington on April 12-13. loss of economic and energy indepen- The secretary of state said they dis- dence, repressions against political oppo- cussed the importance of protecting nents and the government’s monopoliza- Ukraine’s democracy by supporting a tion of the judiciary. strong civil society, media independence Yet that wasn’t the picture painted by and public sector transparency. Ms. Clinton, whose first press conference She expressed appreciation for the was with Mr. Gryshchenko. The first president’s recent statements in support question at their joint press conference at of media freedom and the desire of the the Foreign Affairs Ministry asked the U.S. to work with the Yanukovych secretary of state whether she had noticed administration in continuing to safeguard any restrictions to freedom of speech and such liberties. assembly in Ukraine. The Channel 5 television network, Secretary Clinton said the U.S. gov- whose license to broadcast news is under Participants at the Kingston symposium on Canada’s internment operations of ernment has raised concerns about threats 1914-1920. to freedom of speech and assembly and (Continued on page 13) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY 11, 2010 No. 28 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Ukrainian opposition registers Yanukovych sends greeting to Obama the country’s NATO membership was with- drawn from Ukraine’s foreign policy goals. disappointment with Clinton visit KYIV – President Viktor Yanukovych of “At the same time, a course is announced Ukraine congratulated U.S. President that has never existed in the nature – the so- by Taras Kuzio of the presidential administration). Barack Obama on the occasion of called ‘non-aligned’ status – and it is assured Jamestown Foundation Blog The passivity of the U.S. ambassador Independence Day in the United States, the that we will participate in strengthening the confirms to Ukraine’s opposition the pas- press service of the Ukrainian president European collective security system, which U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sivity of the Obama administration. This reported. “Over the period of its indepen- does not exist,” Mr. Tarasyuk noted. He paid a two-day visit to Ukraine last week week’s Kyiv Post complained: “We dence, the American nation has built the asked the rhetorical question: How do the as part of a wider tour to the region. This would also hope that Clinton encourages state that became an example of democratic present authorities propose to ensure our was her fourth visit to Ukraine, which she U.S. Ambassador John Tefft to be more development, respect for human rights, and national security? Mr. Tarasyuk cites figures twice visited as first lady in the Clinton visible and vigorous in defense of liberty a symbol of welfare and prosperity,” read of the army financing over recent years that administration; her third working visit to and democracy in Ukraine. His low pro- the congratulatory message. Mr. decreased stably to 0.7 percent of the GDP Ukraine was in 2005 as a U.S. senator. file comes at a bad time. With Ukraine’s Yanukovych expressed confidence that stra- in 2009. In other words, in Ukraine $35 The visit failed to impress local democratic fate hanging in the balance, tegic partnership between Ukraine and the (U.S.) is spent per capita for defense, while Ukrainians who feel that the U.S. is all – from ambassadors, tourists and busi- United States based on common democratic non-aligned Sweden spends $606. ignoring them in the interests of re-set- nesspeople – need to strongly, publicly values would continue to be strengthened, Therefore, he said, “The only guarantee of ting U.S. relations with Russia or to and repeatedly show Ukrainians that that while respect and mutual understanding in our national

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