The Ukrainian Weekly 2002, No.33

www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE:• Plast in Ukraine ready to host its first international jamboree — page 3. • UNA president comments on Soyuzivka’s renewal — page 6. • The Ukrainian diaspora, East and West: an analysis — page 10. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXX No. 33 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, AUGUST 18, 2002 $1/$2 in Ukraine HE KRAINIANKuchma andEEKLY Putin agree UnitedT Ukrainian AmericanU Relief Committee W to end trade restrictions aimsb yits Roman quick-response Woronowycz eeffortsven received at letters grassroots written on behalf of Kyiv Press Bureau entire villages asking for help in specific projects, including several that have KYIV – The United Ukrainian asked for aid in building churches, which American Relief Committee does not the UUARC has referred to the have any large or extensive programs in Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church. Ukraine. It has not developed an eco- The UUARC is a Philadelphia-based nomic reform program or a democracy organization begun in 1944, during development initiative for turning World War II, by the Ukrainian émigré Ukraine westward, expansive and expen- community of the United States to help sive projects that other foreign non-gov- with war relief for Ukraine. In the 58 ernmental agencies have undertaken years of its existence, the UUARC has because funding organizations and gov- shifted its accent to fill various needs of ernments are eager to provide the money, the Ukrainian nation, in country and much of which can then be used to pay abroad. high salaries and cover internal costs. In the post-war years it helped resettle The financial morsels then thrown at thousands of displaced persons from Ukraine too often end up in the wrong camps in Germany and fought to stop hands anyway. forced Soviet repatriation of Ukrainians. The UUARC has found its niche away In the 1960s it provided humanitarian from the crowded field and has posi- relief to Ukrainians living in Yugoslavia tioned itself for mobility and quick after a massive earthquake shook the response. Its efforts are directed at the country. In the 1970s it turned to helping individual and small groups with specific political dissidents in the Soviet Union needs and requests. The UUARC and their families, aid that also was attempts to get right down to the grass- extended to Poland and political refugees AP Photo/ ITAR-TASS/ Presidential Press Service roots in Ukraine and give aid in a very living there. Then in 1985 it began a The Putins greet the Kuchmas during the Ukrainian president’s visit to Moscow. concrete way. land-purchasing program for poor “We try to help needy people,” is the Ukrainians living in Brazil. by Roman Woronowycz importation of 19 Russian commodities. succint description of the UUARC’s mis- Since Ukraine’s independence, the sion given by Larissa Kyj, president. Kyiv Press Bureau Notably, the two sides did not touch organization has increasingly directed its the matter of the recent placement of It does this through its two representa- efforts toward that country. Last year it KYIV – The presidents of Ukraine Ukrainian tariffs on imports of Russian tives in Ukraine, one in Lviv and another collected some $900,000 from various and Russia, meeting in Moscow on short automobiles, which Russian Vice Prime one in Kyiv, who pass along requests sources in the United States for aid to notice, agreed to end a series of trade Minister Viktor Khristenko called a mis- from individuals, while also coordinating Ukrainians across the globe – 90 percent restrictions that some experts had pre- the several ongoing projects the NGO understanding, a “statistical error” in his of which went to the Ukrainian home- dicted could eventually lead to economic has developed here, including support for land. The UUARC was officially regis- war if not curtailed. They also indicated (Continued on page 15) orphanages, summer children’s camps, a tered as an NGO in Ukraine in 1993. they were ready to sign a formal agree- grandmother/grandfather aid program, a Strikingly, and most important to ment on the formation of a gas trading soup kitchen in Lviv, and assistance to donors, only 9 percent of UUARC consortium during the Commonwealth of schools and medical facilities in general. resources go to administrative costs, Independent States summit scheduled for It also helps in disaster relief – which which put it near the very top of a recent October 7 in Moscow. is considered its primary mandate. In U.S. Agency for International Ukraine’s harvest 1999 it donated $60,000 in humanitarian Ukraine’s President Leonid Kuchma Development (USAID) report on the effi- flew to Moscow on August 8 at the relief to Transcarpathian flood victims ciency of NGO expenditures in Ukraine. and in 2000 it extended another $30,000 behest of his Russian counterpart, exceeds expectations In comparison, some large multinational President Vladimir Putin, who the week by Roman Woronowycz to the families of the 80 victims of the NGOs spend well over 50 percent of Barakova mine disaster in Krasnodon. before had invited the Ukrainian leader Kyiv Press Bureau their resources on administrative costs. for a series of informal economic talks The simplicity and minimalism KYIV – Ukraine’s 2002 harvest Perhaps the UUARC’s greatest com- and to celebrate Mr. Kuchma’s 64th involved in its Ukrainian operation also should exceed expectations but will not mitment is to Ukraine’s orphanages. Its birthday. allows it to address and react to specific break the record set the previous year first foray into Ukraine came with a Mr. Kuchma said that while he was requests from individuals and families when farmers collected nearly 40 million $475,000 USAID grant for developing not completely satisfied with the results strapped for cash and facing unexpected tons of grain, the most since the country machine shops for skills development for of the trade talks, he was happy the dis- tragedies, such as a funeral or a medical declared independence. Even with some children living at 13 orphanages. This cussions had produced some progress. operation. reforms, however, the country’s agricul- year the agency has decided to help five “It is better to have a bad peace [than “We just get so many different types tural sector continues to harbor deep- orphanages, located in Ivano-Frankivsk, economic war], but it is even better to of requests,” said Dr. Kyi, who explained seated problems. Lviv, Chernivtsi and Kyiv, modernize kill the fire of mutual recriminations that her two representatives, Andrii Duda their sanitary facilities. This may seem By August 5 Ukraine had collected while it is still smoldering,” said the in Lviv and Vira Prynko in Kyiv, sort like a minor matter to some, but while 33 million tons of wheat, barley, corn, Ukrainian president in Moscow, accord- through the appeals and investigate the Ukraine’s orphanages, though still under- oats and rye, with experts predicting a ing to Interfax-Ukraine. circumstances before making recommen- funded, at least have the minimum total approaching 35 million tons before The discussions led to a breakthrough dations. requirements of food and clothing, their the harvest season ends in two weeks – in easing tariffs and restrictions on trade Ms. Kyj said her agency received 378 infrastructures – buildings, plumbing, a considerable achievement given a between the two countries, which were requests last year, half of which were electricity and the like continue to disin- very dry summer season. While yields approved by the standing committee in tegrate because these are secondary con- increasingly being levied by both sides. of corn, which requires rain, are down Philadelphia that oversees aid donations. siderations at governmental budget time. Moscow agreed to lift trade quotas on some, sunflower production has benefit- The average donation was $500. The UUARC also helps the orphan- Ukrainian steel pipes, a move that ed. Ten oblasts have finished harvest “Sometimes it is simply difficult not to ages, as well as hospitals and specific Ukraine had vehemently opposed when work, with six of them having collected help,” added Dr. Kyi. the limits were introduced in 2000, while The UUARC president said she has (Continued on page 3) Kyiv agreed to lift restrictions on the (Continued on page 19) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, AUGUST 18, 2002 No. 33 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Rada approves new procurator general, Defense Ministry sued over airshow crash expires on September 3, the UNIAN news agency reported on August 7, quot- LVIV – The parents of Hryhorii ing an official IMF statement. The IMF as president targets the opposition Kozak, a 23-year-old man killed in the said Ukraine has failed to fulfill a number by Taras Kuzio opening any cases against oligarchs would disastrous airshow crash near Lviv on of IMF conditions to qualify for the RFE/RL Newsline be impossible now that Mr. Medvedchuk July 27, have sued the Defense Ministry tranche. In particular, the government has is head of the presidential administration. of Ukraine, demanding 350,000 hrv failed to reduce the number of tax breaks The Ukrainian Parliament on July 4 As for the Gongadze case, President ($66,000) in compensation for the death and the volume of value-added tax refund approved by 347 votes President Leonid Kuchma said in a BBC Television docu- of their son, UNIAN reported on August Kuchma’s candidate for procurator gener- debts. Kyiv has thus far received some mentary aired in April, “Killing the 12, quoting Deutsche Welle. (RFE/RL $1.5 billion of the planned $2.2 billion. al, Sviatoslav Piskun. Less than a month Story,” that he is interested above all in Newsline) into his new position, Mr. Piskun’s first Ukraine expected to receive $550 million resolving the murder.

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