1NS1DE: e President Bill Clinton's remarks welcoming President Leonid Kuchma - page 3. ^ Excerpts of President Kuchmas address at the United Nations - page 4. Ab ^ Photo report: Ukrainian presidents visit to Washington and New York– centerfold. THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY Published by the Ukrainian National Association inc., a fraternal non-profit association vol. LXII No. 48 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27,1994 75 cents UKRAINE'S PRESIDENT ARRIVES FOR STATE VISIT TO U.S. US. promises additional $200 million in assistance by Khristina Lew WASHINGTON - Hailing him as the man who is leading a Ukrainian renais– sance, U.S. President Bill Clinton wel– comed Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma on the South Lawn of the White House on November 22, the first day of the first state visit of a Ukrainian leader 10 the nation's capital. Signaling the Clinton's administra– tion's support for Mr. Kuchma's efforts to reform Ukraine's beleaguered econo– my and push ratification of the Nuclear Non-Prol iteration Treaty through its con- ten t і ous Parliament, the United States announced that it will expand aid to Ukraine to S900 million in 1994-1995 and offer the former Soviet republic for– mal security assurances. The total sum of S900 million over a two-year period allo– cates S550 million, of which S350 was previously committed, to economic reform, and includes Si00 million for balance of payment support, a S72 mil- lion grant for energy debts and S25 mil- lion in credits for the farm sector, mak– ing Ukraine the fourth largest recipient President Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine acknowledges greetings at the arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, (Continued on page 3) as President Bill Clinton looks on. Busy three days for Kuchma in New York World leaders by Roman Woronowycz Marriott Marquis in Manhattan on the country's planned new currency, until Saturday. Hosted by both the Ukrainian a stabilization fund was set up with the praise Ukraine's NEW YORK - President Leonid American Coordinating Council and the West's aid. "it would be suicide to intro– Kuchma came preaching the three Rs — Ukrainian Congress Committee of duce the hryvnia without the stabilization accession to NPT reform, remuneration and recovery— for America, the banquet was attended by fund," said Mr. Kuchma. "But we are Ukraine in the first stage of his initial more than 1,000 people. already discussing this with the 1MF by Marta Kolomayets visit to the United States as Ukraine's Mr. Kuchma received plenty of stand– (international Monetary Fund)." leader. Kyyiv Press Bureau ing ovations as he spoke, the most rous– Present at the banquet from Ukraine, He flew into New York for a weekend ing occurring when he underscored that which was emceed by Prof. Leonid KYYiv - World leaders, notably the visit on Saturday, November 19, before the rebirth and maintenance of Ukrainian Rudnytzky, was what seemed like most heads of nuclear states, hailed Ukraine's his November 22 official Washington culture and language is a priority to him. of Ukraine's government leadership; accession to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation meeting with United States President Bill Treaty on Wednesday, November 16, say– "The president will exert pressure and do everybody from Foreign Minister Clinton, only the fourth state visit by a ing that it has ushered in a new era of everything to assure the renewal of Gennadiy Udovenko, to Minister of the world leader since President Clinton took expanded cooperation. Ukrainian spiritualism," said Mr. Economy Roman Shpek and Defense office, in a flurry of activity, Mr. Just days before President Leonid Kuchma. "Ukrainian language and cul– Minister valeriy Shmarov, to the Kuchma met with Ukrainian diaspora Kuchma's state visit to the White House, ture will be supported. No one should Crimea's new premier (and Mr. leaders, Jewish community leaders, the Ukrainian Parliament voted to join doubt this." Kuchma's son-in-law), Anatoliy United Nations diplomats, businesspeo– the NPT, providing the Ukrainian leader He also affirmed the European char– Franchuk, and the president's chief of ple and journalists, and attended a major with leverage to ask for economic aid acter of the Ukrainian state, although he staff, Dmytro Tabachnyk. banquet thrown by the Ukrainian com– from the United States. explained that Ukraine will maintain eco– Prior to the banquet, the Ukrainian munity. nomic ties with Moscow and the Ukraine's Foreign Minister Gennadiy leader met briefly with 10 diaspora lead– Udovenko told journalists on Friday More than 1,000 at testimonial banquet Commonwealth of independent States, ers as photographers' cameras clicked referring to the area as Ukraine's "zone evening, November 18, that since and lights flashed. The president's tone With steely resolve, but using a gentle of strategic interest." Ukraine has acceded to the treaty the was light-hearted and joking. Asked if he West should reciprocate with substantial– manner, Mr. Kuchma time and again President Clinton sent his greetings, thought that with the overwhelming ly more economic assistance. asserted that Ukraine was going to force- which were read at the gathering and Republican Party victory in U.S. "it was a demand on the part of the fully proceed with economic reforms and included his anticipation that his meeting Congressional elections would come a West to join NPT, so why can't we now would in the near future be a world-class with Ukraine's president would be more open policy to Ukraine, Mr. step out with a stronger position," said economic player. rewarding and successful. Kuchma replied with a laugh, "1 really the foreign minister. "it hurts today, but if we delay reforms Before the dinner began Mr. Kuchma hope so, believe me." And now, he added, Ukraine expects then it will soon be very bad. in a few told reporters that he would couple the Those present at the private gathering more support to restructure its industry months it could be deadly," said the pres– dollar to the coupon in terms of its valua– ident at a banquet honoring him at the tion and would not introduce the hryvnia, (Continued on page 4) (Continued on page 2) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27,1994 No. 48 Ten new deputies are elected in yet another round of voting Currency licenses limited Ukrainian National Assembly7Ukrainian by Marta Kolomayets Rigid electoral rules, combined with National Self-Defense (UNA7UNSO), was Kyyiv Press Bureau rising costs and a declining standard of KYYiv - Ukraine's central bank attacked by unknown assailants on living have contributed to the low voter announced on November 17 that it was November 18 during the late evening KYYiv - Ukraine's Parliament turnout, analysts say. Ukrainians have suspending the issue of licenses to trade hours. Two persons attacked Mr. inched closer to becoming a full house, been disillusioned with their leaders and in foreign currency and limiting the vitovych near the building where he lives. as 10 new deputies were elected on have lost hope in their deputies to change validity of licenses already in use. A search for the suspects was organized Sunday, November 20, bringing the total anything for the better. Existing licenses will be valid until and the incident is under investigation. to 404 in the 450-seat Supreme Council. However, the balance of power in this February 18, 1995. The central bank did Several hours earlier, Andriy Shkil, leader But voter apathy was at an all-time low, Parliament has begun shifting in recent not announce if it was going to introduce of the Lviv Oblast UNA7UNSO, was the with only 40 percent of eligible voters weeks. Although the left-wing faction, new licensing regulations, but it is subject of a similar attack. (Respublika) casting their ballots, some for the seventh which includes the Communists, Socialists known that the bank wanted to limit the time this year, in parliamentary elections. and Agrarians, numbers over 125, it has use of convertible currencies on the terri– Unemployment stats released The necessary voter turnout is 50 percent. not been able to push through a number of tory of Ukraine. Some 1,000 firms now Sunday's voting did elect three mem– key issues, including the restoration of the KYYiv — The government has have licenses to trade in foreign curren– bers of the Ukrainian Republican Party, Soviet-era Communist Party. released new figures on unemployment cy; they have a collective turnover of one Communist Party member and six Despite the fact that these factions in Ukraine which indicate that there are some Si50 million. (Reuters) independents. Three deputies were elected froze privatization in the summer 360,000 jobless in the country. in the Crimea, two in Kyyiv and one each months, over the last few weeks they vitovych victim of attack Unofficial statistics, however, indicate in the oblasts of Уоіуп, Dnipropetrovske, have been unable to halt price liberaliza– that unemployment stands at 4 million Ternopil, Kharkiv and Chernihiv. tion and land reform, two important Lviv - Oleh vitovych, leader of the persons. (Respublika) By-elections were deemed valid in three points in Mr. Kuchma's reform policy. more constituencies, but no candidate got Surprisingly, these left-wingers voted 50 percent of the vote, the necessary for Mr. Kuchma's reform program in amount to get elected. Run-offs will be October. Just last week they ratified the Constitutional Committee is created held in those three districts in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. by Marta Kolomayets Omelych) and the inter-Regional Bloc Mykolayiv, Poltava and Chernivtsi regions Among those elected to the Ukrainian Kyyiv Press. Bureau for Reform (Oleksander Karpov). in two weeks, on Sunday, December 4.