44 November 3, 2002

INSIDE:• Ukrainian hostages at Moscow theater — page 3. • Poland’s Ukrainians seek redress for Akcja Wisla — page 7. • Artist Zenowij Onyshkewych: ‘omnivoyant traveler’ — page 13. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXX HE No.KRAINIAN 44 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2002 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine HusarT blessesU cornerstone NATO downgradesW meeting with Ukraine, for patriarchal sobor in Kyiv Kuchma not wanted at Prague summit by Roman Woronowycz mony, which included encasing a com- by Roman Woronowycz result of the Kolchuha scandal. Kyiv Press Bureau memorative plaque within the cornerstone Kyiv Press Bureau “We had a feeling that under condi- as a time capsule. The text engraved on the tions of the recent discussion of the accu- KYIV – On a blustery, Sunday autumn black marble slab documented for posterity KYIV – The North Atlantic Council of sations of possible Kolchuha early warn- afternoon, with more than 300 faithful in the date that construction on the patriarchal NATO told Ukraine on October 30 that ing systems supplies to Iraq it would be attendance at the future site of the religious sobor began, and identified the religious none of the leaders of its 19 member- better for the interests of Ukraine and center of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic leaders of both the ecumenical Catholic states would meet with President Leonid NATO if the Ukraine-NATO commission Church, Cardinal Lubomyr Husar marked Church and the UGCC, as well as the polit- Kuchma during the upcoming NATO- meets in Prague at the level of foreign the beginning of construction of the UGCC ical leaders of both Ukraine and Kyiv, the Ukraine Summit, which they announced ministers,” explained Mr. Robertson. patriarchal sobor as he blessed the build- architect and the builder. had been downgraded to a meeting of The NATO decision, which in effect ing’s cornerstone. The UGCC primate thanked city offi- foreign ministers. banishes the Ukrainian leader from the Nearly a dozen UGCC bishops and cials who gave the land for the cathedral The long-planned conference – which summit, came after word was leaked that priests joined Cardinal Husar, in the cere- site and the many faithful who have was to decide future relations between a report U.S. and British experts would staunchly supported the project during short the North Atlantic Alliance and Ukraine, soon produce on the role of President remarks at the site. Bishop Vasylyi Medvit and to agree on a new action plan to Kuchma in the sale of Kolchuha anti-air- of the Kyiv-Vyshhorod Eparchy said it was replace the one that has been completed – craft radar defense systems to Iraq will a historical moment for the UGCC. was originally scheduled as an agenda- do little to clear his name. Kyiv approves diaspora’s “This church, this building is being built topper for the second day of the larger The U.S. accused Mr. Kuchma of for the ages,” explained Bishop Vasylyi, NATO Summit, which will take place in complicity in the affair on September 24, memorial to Great Famine who added a moment later that, “when that Prague on November 21-22. The agree- when it also halted financial aid to the by Roman Woronowycz day finally arrives when our various ment, which NATO still hopes to see, central government of Ukraine. Kyiv Press Bureau Churches are united into one all-Ukrainian would replace the action plan that was Washington asserted at the time that it Church, this house of worship will then part of the original Charter on Special had authenticated audio recordings in KYIV – Kyiv’s City Council and the belong to it.” Partnership signed by NATO and which the president of Ukraine approved Office of the Mayor gave the go-ahead The cathedral, which should be the Ukraine in 1997. the sale of a Kolchuha system to on October 30 for the erection of a dias- largest in Kyiv when completed and able to On October 31, NATO Secretary Baghdad through a Jordanian intermedi- pora-funded memorial in commemora- hold more than 1,000 people, will be locat- General George Robertson told the ary. tion of the 70th anniversary of the 1932- ed just off the Dnipro River on a two- Ukrainian Service of the BBC that the Ukraine replied quickly and decisively 1933 Great Famine. determination to keep the meeting with Askold Lozynskyj, president of the (Continued on page 3) Ukraine at a lower level was the direct (Continued on page 23) Ukrainian World Congress of Ukrainians, the leading umbrella organi- zation of the Ukrainian diaspora, told The Weekly that by the end of the week he was to receive three site options from which to choose. RENAISSANCEby Natalia A. FeduschakOF KYIV: One of Europe’s most vibrant cities “They agreed to help in any way they can,” explained Mr. Lozynskyj. “They KYIV – Tucked in a corner, near the central altar of St. will propose three locations, and based Sophia’s Cathedral, is one of Kyiv’s great treasures. on this we will submit drawings.” “It’s there,” says Nadia Nikitenko, a historian at the The monument will be constructed by ancient cathedral whose golden domes, silhouetted against a a leading Ukrainian sculptor from the blue sky, stand like a bulwark against time. “It is diaspora who has yet to be chosen, Volodymyr’s signature.” explained Mr. Lozynskyj, and is expect- Prince, statesman, defender of a nation, Volodymyr ed to cost between $150,000 and Mohomakh, like many of his brethren of the time, broke $250,000 (U.S.). The diaspora will Church law and risked hellfire and damnation to leave an eter- absorb the cost of the monument, while nal imprint on the walls of St. Sophia, the most religious of Kyivan workers will be responsible for temples. erecting it at the Kyiv site. Nearly a millennium after the illicit practice of scratching A plaque at the site will note that the into the cathedral’s frescoed walls began, the powerful attrac- monument is a gift from the Ukrainian tion of the over 300 etchings still holds. Documenting every- diaspora on the 70th anniversary of the thing from prayers for good health to contracts for land sales Famine-Genocide. and visits by dignitaries to St. Sophia, the graffiti, however The tragic events of 1932-1933, when blasphemous, says as much about the people who carved them much of eastern and central Ukraine was as they do about the tenacity of a nation. starved by Stalin’s orders, is increasingly “St. Sophia was the visiting card of Christianity,” says Ms. recognized by the West as a crime Nikitenko, who has spent more than two decades studying the against humanity after being hidden by cathedral and it history. “The Christian government couldn’t the Soviet regime and ignored by the imagine itself without St. Sophia. All roads from Europe led West for decades. through here.” Currently there is only one monument More than 1,500 years after it was founded and following in Kyiv to the victims of the Great decades of decline under Soviet rule, roads are again leading to Famine, a relatively small memorial Kyiv. Since resuming its role as the capital of an independent located before St. Michael’s Golden- Ukraine 11 years ago, Kyiv is fast establishing itself as one of Domed Sobor erected in 1993. Mr. Europe’s most vibrant cities. Crumbling monuments are being Yuriy Borodin Lozynskyj said he expected the new restored while others that were completely destroyed are being The Golden Gates, now restored, used to be the historic monument to be ready for unveiling in resurrected altogether. Banks, apartment buildings and shop- entrance to the city. Legend says that visitors used to have to August 2003 during the Seventh World ping centers are going up at an unprecedented pace. With much pay in gold in order to enter a city that was said to have Congress of Ukrainians, which will take (Continued on page 8) over 1,000 golden domes because of its many churches. place in Kyiv. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2002 No. 44 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Is Ukraine arming Georgia against Russia? Kuchma might skip NATO summit Industrialists and Entrepreneurs caucus by Taras Kuzio tion programs also with the United States, jointly with the Social Democratic Party- KYIV – Ukrainian President Leonid United caucus advanced current Prime RFE/RL Poland, Belarus and Ukraine Report the United Kingdom, Germany and Kuchma on October 29 said he will not Minister Anatolii Kinakh. Verkhovna Rada Turkey. Washington provides $64 million attend the NATO summit in Prague next Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn told journal- Since August, Ukraine and Georgia in military assistance each year and is month unless suggestions that his country ists on October 28 that “the fate of the gov- have sent out contradictory signals over training elite Georgian forces. has breached United Nations sanctions by ernment is to be decided” by November 19, the sale of antiaircraft defense systems by Georgia and Ukraine are also linked selling radar equipment to Iraq are retract- when the Parliament resumes its session. Ukraine to Georgia. This became urgent through the regional group GUUAM ed, Reuters reported. “If there remain any (RFE/RL Newsline) for Georgia after planes – Georgia has (Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, claimed they were Russian – bombed doubts, then I don’t think it would make Azerbaijan, Moldova). As Ukraine has sense to hold the Ukraine-NATO summit News agency head reported missing Georgian territory in August, killing inno- progressively realigned its multilateral cent civilians. The raid was allegedly tar- [during the NATO meeting in Prague],” foreign policy from a pro-Western to a Mr.

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