48 November 28, 1999

INSIDE:• President and Rada disagree over site of inauguration — page 3. • Addressses at Great Famine memorial service — page 7. • Arkan dance troupe performs in China — page 13. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXVII HE No.KRAINIAN 48 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1999 EEKLY$1.25/$2 in Ukraine Ukrainians recall Famine-genocide at memorial events in New York ReportsT note low risk U W of Y2K disruptions throughout Ukraine by Roman Woronowycz Kyiv Press Bureau KYIV – Countering claims in the international press offered by many a computer specialist that Ukraine could suffer from major power disruptions and face huge problems at its nuclear facilities after January 1, a recently issued U.S. govern- ment-funded study has found that Ukraine’s energy sector is at low risk of experiencing any major Y2K disruptions following the New Year. The risk assessment report, prepared by computer and energy Y2K experts from Southern California Edison, the huge power-generating conglomerate, along with the Bonneville Power Administration and the CANUS corporation, states that “the Ukrainian power grid will not collapse and heating steam will not be lost” when the new millennium dawns. Roma Hadzewycz After analyzing information gathered from Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy, the Commemorating the Great Famine of 1932-1933 engineered by Stalin in Ukraine, marchers walk in a solemn procession. Nuclear Power Plant-Operations Support by Roma Hadzewycz orderly with officers of the New York City to passers-by and drivers. Many were Institute and a host of private and govern- Police Department clearing the path for dressed in embroidered Ukrainian shirts or NEW YORK – Vowing they would ment technology centers, as well as the the procession, closing off traffic lanes blouses or other elements of traditional United States Agency for International never forget the millions starved to death and intersections as the marchers passed. Ukrainian attire (female members of Plast Development (USAID), which has a sub- by the Stalin regime in 1932-1933 in The column of marchers was led by Ukrainian Scouting Organization were stantial presence in Ukraine and funded the Ukraine, approximately 1,500 Ukrainian distinguished by their Hutsul “kyptari”), report, the project members visited 15 facil- Americans walked in a solemn procession church banners and Ukrainian national flags draped with black ribbons of mourn- while others wore black for the mournful ities associated with power generation and from St. George Ukrainian Catholic occasion. Church on East Seventh Street in Lower ing. Clergy, among them Archbishop distribution around the cities of Kyiv, Lviv The mourners hailed from all parts of Manhattan to St. Patrick’s Cathedral Antony of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Zaporizhia. New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, uptown on Fifth Avenue and between 50th of the U.S.A., were at the head of the pro- The report, released in early November, and cities beyond. Many arrived by the and 51st streets, where a requiem service cession. states that where problems may emerge busload: from Hartford and New Haven, was offered in memory of the genocide’s Participants carried placards pointing to failure could result in limited service to Conn., from Passaic/Clifton, Bound people – what it calls “degraded system victims. the Soviet regime’s atrocities in Ukraine, performance” – but that many of the prob- The procession up Third Avenue was and informative leaflets were distributed (Continued on page 6) lems should be resolved by manual opera- tion. The report emphasizes that, as in other countries, the seriousness of a situation that could have been catastrophic if not reme- Discover Ukraine expedition changes course, but not goal died in time, was determined to be manage- by Roman Woronowycz way to a sailing regatta in El Ferrol, The 60-something captain, a retired able simply because there are far fewer Kyiv Press Bureau Spain, in May. engineer and lifelong sailing enthusiast computers affected by the date rollover to Next year they are off to the United who helped invent the light weight, con- the year 2000 than previously thought. KYIV – Columbus didn’t do it like States to participate in OpSail 2000, an crete bottom design that characterizes “It was found that in Ukraine less than 1 this, and neither did del Fuego, but they international display of tall ships and his two 27-meter sailing vessels – percent were found to be date sensitive, had benefactors. Thus far the Discover sailing vessels that was last held in 1992. schooner, Batkivschyna and a brigantine, with about the same percentage having Ukraine sailing expedition does not. It will tour the Eastern Seaboard of the Pochaina – has spent the last two years Y2K issues – an unexpected but beneficial Like the two renowned explorers, how- United States in early summer and enter pursuing a dream to sail the globe and let finding,” according to the report. ever, who long searched for the financial New York Harbor at the beginning of the world know about Ukraine. He has The report also noted that where poten- backer who would express faith in their July for a lavish Fourth of July millenni- said that while governments may know tial problems exist, Y2K counter-programs dreams, Captain Dymytrii Birioukovitch um celebration. about Ukraine, average people still do have been effective and that the training of and his crew of believers continue their Captain Birioukovitch said that sever- Y2K personnel “was found to be very not have a clue about one of the largest quest to sail around the world on a al people had expressed interest in sup- countries in Europe. His mission: to get good.” cement-bottom boat. porting the around-the-world voyage, However, there still are holes in contin- the word out about Ukraine’s geopoliti- In a concession to realities – their including the mayor of Kyiv, but when it cal and economic potential, and its grand gency planning, although sufficient time around-the-world voyage has been came time to cough up the money, the exists to implement them as well, it was history. stalled for lack of financing – the backers fell away. reported. In the first leg of his journey, which Discover Ukraine project has decided to “We decided that we weren’t going to One particular concern, which the took him across the European continent conquer the seven seas in stages. be denied,” explained Mr. Birioukovitch. assessment emphasizes, is Ukraine’s lack of to its western edge, he finally found the Thus far the expedition has traveled “We found a few dollars here, a few a comprehensive country-wide plan for chance to let at least Europe know, three of them, the Black Sea, the there, and departed.” These limited resource reallocation, communications and about Ukraine. Mediterranean and a portion of the funds, however, allowed them to plan emergency response should a worst-case Atlantic Ocean, which they did on their only a trans-European trip. (Continued on page 10) (Continued on page 23) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1999 No. 48 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Ukrainian electorate’s vote of weariness Kuchma to nominate Pustovoitenko Interfax. (RFE/RL Newsline) by Jan Maksymiuk in determining the final election outcome. ISTANBUL – President Leonid Kuchma proposes Black Sea trade zone RFER/RL Newsline Despite these violations, no international Kuchma on November 19 told journalists body will question President Kuchma’s re- KYIV – President Leonid Kuchma of PRAGUE – Leonid Kuchma won a in Istanbul, where he was attending a election. The OSCE – whose opinion on summit of the Organization for Security Ukraine on November 17 addressed an seemingly easy victory in the November 14 elections in post-Communist Europe seems informal summit of the Black Sea presidential runoff, gaining more than 56 and Cooperation in Europe, that he will to play a leading role in determining their propose that Prime Minister Valerii Economic Cooperation Organization percent of the vote, while his Communist legitimacy – reported that October 31 first (BSECO), which took place shortly rival, Petro Symonenko, received some 38 Pustovoitenko head the new Cabinet, round of voting was fair. With regard to the Interfax reported. Mr. Kuchma added before the OSCE summit in Istanbul, percent backing. second round, the OSCE reported many that he made that decision on the basis of Interfax reported. Mr. Kuchma suggested Mr. Kuchma commented the following irregularities but did not suggest they had a “this year’s economic results.” that the creation of a free-trade zone in day that nobody in Ukraine expected the decisive effect on the outcome. Serious vio- According to the Constitution of the region could give a “powerful impe- incumbent to win by such a wide margin lations – including the executive’s stifling Ukraine, the old Cabinet of Ministers tus” to regional cooperation. He also and suggested that his re-election means the media and public officials’ campaigning must resign immediately after the presi- noted that increased cooperation with the Ukrainians have chosen a “democratic way for Mr. Kuchma – were noted during the dent-elect’s inauguration. The president European Union and membership in that to build their country based on a market election campaign, but, again, the European appoints a new prime minister, who must organization is an “objective necessity economy.” election watchdog indicated no immediate be approved by at least 226 parliamen- for most members” of the BSECO. “We Few observers of the Ukrainian political link between them and the final result. tary deputies. The National Democratic should synchronize to the maximum scene are likely to agree in full with Still, the scent of foul play remains in the extent our actions with the EU, primarily Party on November 17 proposed that its President Kuchma’s interpretation of the air.

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