The Ukrainian Weekly 2004, No.15

www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE:• Toddler from Ukraine in U.S. for surgery — page 9. •A weekend in the Ukrainian East Village — page 13. • Kazimir Malevich and Ukraine — page 14. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXII HE KRAINIANNo. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2004 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine UkrainianT DaysU in Washington Verkhovna WRada fails, by 6 votes, focus on community’s concerns to pass constitutional amendments by Serhiy Zhykharev Institute (IRI); John Eddy, regional field by Roman Woronowycz consistent support for his candidacy. His Ukrainian National Information Service coordinator for the Republican National Kyiv Press Bureau supporters have said that the whole scheme Committee (RNC); and, Joshua to change the Constitution was orchestrated WASHINGTON – Within a frame- Rosenblum, assistant regional coordinator KYIV – After nearly four years of discus- to make sure that such a shift of political work of programs in preparation for the for the Democratic National Committee sion on the matter, a full day of intensely power did not occur in Ukraine. U.S. presidential and congressional elec- (DNC), made short presentations. heated debate and merely a half-year before The vote effectively canceled any effort tions, the Ukrainian National Information The speakers provided their perspec- national presidential elections, Ukraine’s to take the power to appoint the government Service (UNIS), the Washington public tives on U.S. policy toward Ukraine, in Verkhovna Rada on April 8 could not ratify away from the president and give it to the affairs bureau of the Ukrainian Congress particular regarding the upcoming changes to Ukraine’s Constitution that prime minister. The Verkhovna Rada would Committee of America (UCCA), organ- Ukrainian presidential elections sched- would have transferred much executive have been given constitutional responsibility ized “Ukrainian Days” in Washington on uled for October 31. The RNC and DNC power from the president to the prime minis- for forming a working majority coalition March 24-25. representatives informed the delegates ter. within a given time period and appointing a The intent of Ukrainian Days was to about the pre-election campaign for the The pro-presidential majority coalition in chairman of the Verkhovna Rada to lead it. promote the concerns of the Ukrainian U.S. presidential elections and their the Verkhovna Rada fell six votes shy of the The majority would then have had the right American community, as well as to efforts to involve the various organized required two-thirds majority, or 300-vote to choose a prime minister and a govern- establish better contacts with its elected ethnic communities. A question and minimum, needed to have succeeded in ment. representatives in Washington. The first answer session followed each presenta- changing the Constitution, even though it The president would have retained the annual advocacy program allowed tion, during which delegates had an spent much of the day acting as if the vote right to appoint the foreign affairs minister, Ukrainian community members from opportunity to pose specific inquiries. was a foregone conclusion. the head of the State Security Service, the around the country to visit Washington The informational session continued As the numbers appeared on the tableau – procurator general and the 25 oblast chair- and meet with principal policy-makers in with a working lunch to discuss issues of 294 ayes and two nays from among the 307 men, the latter of which the prime minister the field of U.S.-Ukraine relations. concern that the community representa- lawmakers registered in the session hall – would have had the right to reject. The presi- During two days of meetings and tives would be advocating in their meet- national deputies from the opposition dent would have had the right to dismiss the briefings, the delegates had an opportuni- ings with members of Congress. UCCA jumped to their feet with raised fists in a ty to acquaint themselves with various Parliament if it had failed to fulfill its President Michael Sawkiw Jr. briefed the chorus of cheers and promptly broke into a responsibilities. perspectives on the current U.S.-Ukraine Ukrainian Days participants as to the verse of the Ukrainian national anthem. relationship, as well as meet with mem- On a day of at times quite virulent and core topics of interest: Permanent The celebration continued with chants of also eloquent debate – and while supporters bers of Congress from the House of Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status “Yushchenko, Yushchenko,” as the opposi- Representatives and the Senate. of the opposition waived signs like, “Keep for Ukraine; U.S. foreign assistance to tionist national deputies surrounded the Your Hands Off the Constitution” – Mr. The Ukrainian Days event hosted Ukraine; the work of the U.S. Agency for leader of the Our Ukraine faction, who Ukrainian community members from Yushchenko, who has led the opposition to International Development (USAID); along with Yulia Tymoshenko of the epony- the political reforms throughout the process, New York, California, Pennsylvania, information regarding the upcoming mous political bloc, led the successful effort Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, gave what was undoubtedly his most pas- Ukrainian presidential elections in to kill the amendment legislation. sionate speech on why the country did not Michigan and Virginia. Representatives Ukraine and U.S. engagement in the Mr. Yushchenko is considered the current from the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation and need the Constitutional changes. democratic processes in Ukraine; recog- favorite to take the presidential seat from “My sympathy goes out to the Ukrainian the Ukraine-U.S. Business Council, as nition of the 1932-1933 Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, with about a well as students from several area univer- Famine-Genocide as an act of genocide quarter of the Ukrainian electorate showing (Continued on page 8) sities in the greater Washington area also and the construction of a memorial in participated in the proceedings. Washington to the Famine-Genocide’s Ukrainian Days opened on Wednesday victims; and the granting of a federal March 24 at 10 a.m. with a briefing at the charter for the Ukrainian American Ukrainian soldier killed in Iraq uprisings American Foreign Policy Council Veterans (UAV). (AFPC), during which Herman Pirchner, Armed with briefing papers in their by Roman Woronowycz has occurred in Baghdad and other major AFPC president; Mark Taplin, senior offi- informational folders to be distributed Kyiv Press Bureau Iraqi towns and cities in the last days. cer of the Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova The rebels fighting the international during their congressional meetings, the KYIV – Ukraine’s Parliament regis- Desk at the U.S. Department of State; participants of Ukrainian Days headed for coalition are mostly part of the nation- Stephen Nix, director of Eurasian pro- tered a draft resolution on April 7 calling wide uprising called by Iraqi Shiite grams at the International Republican (Continued on page 8) for the withdrawal of Ukraine’s military leader Moktada al-Sadr. However, many contingent in Iraq, which is there as part Sunni Muslims, especially in the north- of the United States-led international sta- ern and eastern parts of the country also bilization force. The initiative, organized are taking part by the Communist parliamentary faction The battle over the Tigris began in the of the Verkhovna Rada, came after one afternoon after the Ukrainian peacekeep- Ukrainian peacekeeper was killed and ers took control of major government five others were injured during heated centers, including the city administration battles for control of the Iraqi city of Kut and the central television center in the on April 6. morning. The death was the first of a Ukraine’s Defense Ministry reported Ukrainian soldier during combat in Iraq. on April 7 that Pvt. Ruslan Androschuk Three other soldiers have died in non- died from wounds he suffered during a combat operations since the 1,650-mem- mortar rocket attack as he drove with the ber Ukrainian contingent arrived in Iraq five wounded Ukrainian peacekeepers in in September 2003: one in a firearm an armored personnel carrier. The mishap, another in a vehicle accident; the Ukrainian soldiers had been part of a third as a result of suicide. detachment battling for control of a Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense bridge over the Tigris River in the town explained that the Ukrainian peacekeep- of Kut. ing contingent had decided to take con- Rep. Sander Levin (third from left) with Ukrainian community representatives Predominantly Shiite Muslim and trol of key administrative buildings in from Michigan at the Ukrainian Days congressional breakfast. On the right is located northeast of Baghdad, the town UCCA President Michael Sawkiw Jr. was the scene of violence similar to what (Continued on page 8) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2004 No. 15 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Yushchenko is changing tactics Opposition threatens street protests natures. Mr. Kuchma also signed a bill by Jan Maksymiuk Recent polls suggest that Yanukovych’s endorsing a memorandum of understand- KYIV – Our Ukraine and the Yulia ing between Ukraine and NATO regard- RFE/RL Belarus and Ukraine Report popularity rating, now at some 12 percent- Tymoshenko Bloc have said they will 13 percent, is constantly growing, while ing Ukraine’s support for NATO opera- Our Ukraine leader Viktor lead demonstrations in Kyiv the day the tions. In particular, the memorandum Mr. Yushchenko’s public support has Verkhovna Rada holds its final vote on Yushchenko has apparently come to the stalled for the past year or so at some 25 grants NATO troops the right to quick conclusion that he will not be able to the hotly contested constitutional-reform access to Ukrainian territory if such a percent. What is more, polls also suggest bill that was preliminarily adopted in block the adoption by Parliament of a than nearly 50 percent of Ukrainians posi- move is warranted by the implementation constitutional reform bill that he does not December and amended in February, of the alliance’s general policies.

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