www.ukrweekly.com lished by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association| rainian WeeklV Vol. LX mNo. 41 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1992 50 cents Ukraine, Russia agree to restructure debtKravchu k appoints interim PM KIEV - Ukraine and Russia an­ However, Kiev and Moscow cannot nounced last weekend they will restruc­ agree on a new method of repayment. as new government is readied ture the system by which the foreign Ukraine has expressed concern over by Khrisfina Lew Parliament that directed President debt of the former Soviet Union will be Russia's "zero option" proposal, where­ Kiev Press Bureau Kravchuk to name an acting prime repaid to the West, reported the Finan­ by Russia would assume sole responsi­ minister from among the four deputy cial Times on October 5. Now they need bility for the foreign debt to the West KIEV — President Leonid Kravchuk prime ministers and to propose a to agree how to proceed. and, in exchange, would be given exclu­ appointed First Deputy Prime Minister candidate for the head of govern­ Yegor Gaidar, Russia's acting prime sive control over the foreign assets of Valentyn Symonenko acting prime ment in 10 days' time. minister, who made the announcement the former Soviet Union, reported the minister on October 2, one day after The resolution allotted Mr. Krav­ along with Ukraine's President Leonid Financial Times. Ukraine would sur­ Ukraine's Parliament voted to dismiss chuk and the new prime minister an Kravchuk, said, "We have agreed that render any claims to the foreign assets the entire Ukrainian government in a additional 10 days to choose a new the old system of joint and several of the ex-Communist giant and U- 295-6 vote of no confidence. Cabinet of Ministers and recommend­ responsibility for the foreign debt of the kraine's 16.37 share of the debt would Mr. Symonenko's appointment ed that the president instruct the exist­ former Soviet Union is going nowhere be owed to Russia. As Kiev repaid its followed President Kravchuk's un­ ing Cabinet to fulfill its duties until a and does not work." portion to Moscow, a corresponding expected September 30 announcement new government is appointed. At the end of last year, under heavy share of the assets would be returned to that Prime Minister Vitold Fokin had The Supreme Council, which has pressure from the seven major industria­ Ukraine. offered his resignation and the Parlia­ been working in committee since the lized nations, the eight more prosperous ment's October 1 motion to accept Mr. Ukraine contends that Russia's pro­ October 1 resolution, is scheduled to countries of the former Soviet Union Fokin's resignation and dismiss the posal would simply give Russia legal reconvene on October 13. assumed the old regime's S82 billion entire Cabinet of Ministers. control of the assets of the former Mr. Symonenko, a conservative debt, with Ukraine and Russia pledging The motion of no confidence was Soviet Union with which Moscow has economist and former head of the to pay back 77.5 percent. The Group of proposed by Parliamentary Deputy resisted parting. Ukraine has attempted Odessa City Council, was appointed „"even had been worried the poorer Chairman Vo)odymyr Hryniovand first deputy prime minister on July 11 -ppitbcs nvght detauU. 1 Continued on page 16) upheld by '-` resolution of Ukraine's (Continued on page 3) Teachers of English share experiences from Ukraine Student union demands by Andrij Wynnyckyj the conference was being held early in some of them gave in the local press. the school year. Dr. Voronka, described some of the parliamentary elections JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The last Many of the participants were meet­ organizational triumphs and night­ by Khristina Lew phase of the Ukrainian National Asso­ ing each other for the first time. Every­ mares that marked the project, and then Kiev Press Bureau ciation's experimental "Teach English one seemed possessed by an urgent need congratulated everyone for their com­ KIEV - The Union of Ukrainian in Ukraine" project was a reunion/de­ to communicate what they had ex­ mitment to the program and generosity Students has demanded Ukraine's briefing session that took place on perienced, and to quickly talk about it with their time. withdrawal from the Commonwealth of September 19-20 at the Soyuzivka to someone else who could understand The participants were then encour­ Independent States, passage of a new lesort in upstate New York. what they had gone through before it aged to voice their impressions, com­ law on parliamentary elections by faded or was muddled in their memory. Project director Dr. Zirka Voronka plaints and suggestions for improve­ November 30 and multi-party elections ment to the program. This they did, one ^n`^ted everyone at the registration As the registrants gradually filed into to be held on March 30, 1993. r by one, each speaker occasioning lively cv k ^usi under half of the 84 persons the conference room, Andre Worobec, The demands, listed in a letter dated discussions, which Dr. Voronka ma­ who bad taught in 26 cities and towns in the UNA's fraternal activities coordina­ October 7 and presented to Ukraine's naged to guide very ably to ensure that " 'Kraine this past summer arrived from tor, set up a display with a map of the Supreme Council Chairman Ivan the consensus reached would have an various points across North America — locations where project participants Pliushch by UUS President Voio- impact on the structure and the or­ a reasonable turnout considering that taught, and with clippings of interviews ,ymyr Chemerys, also included a re­ ganization of future efforts. quest for an October 8 meeting between Many of the teachers had ideas for Parliament leaders and representatives assistance campaigns directed at U- of the UUS. However, the meeting was kraine, and some had already set them postponed until October 9. in motion, including Stephen Musey of The scene in Kiev now is reminiscent New Jersey and Vera Кар of Ohio of student actions that began two years (familiar to readers of The Weekly as ago in October 1990 and led to the the author of "Kharkiv Journal"), who eventual dismissal of then Prime Minis­ are organizing a teacher exchange ter Vitaliy Masol. Already over 200 program and a book collection drive students have set up a 30-tent city on respectively. Independence Square, surrounded by Many had comments to offer about barricades of wood and string. the organization of this year's project. The students have threatened social Some had problems relying on the disobedience, demonstrations before Prosvita Ukrainian Language Society Parliament and a possible hunger strike of Ukraine, which was widely held to be if their demands are not met by October disorganized. Dr. Voronka spoke about 13, the day Ukraine's Parliament is a perplexing aspect of Prosvita involve­ scheduled to reconvene. ment — many of its members proudly The UUS demonstration has re­ refused payment in advance for or­ ceived official support from the Ukrai­ ganizational work, and yet as the nian Republican Party, the Ukrainian project wore on it became obvious Conservative Republican Party and the few would do anything punctually Organization of Ukrainian Nationa­ unless they derived some kind of sub­ lists. stantial personal gain. There was also some criticism of Petro Talanchuk, minister of educa­ Participants of "Teach English in Ukraine'9 Project gather around director Dr. tion, has promised to deliver cots, Zirka Voronka (third from left). (Continued on page 10) (Continued on page 2) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1992 No. 41 ANALYSIS: Ukraine's media - an uphill trek toward democracy Newsbriefs by Bohdan Nahaylo Ostankino Television company. Ironi­ on Ukraine RFE/RL Research Institute cally then, just as the Ukrainian na­ PARTI tional democratic movement was coming into its own and the idea of 9 KIEV - Ukrainian President government, which recently accused While Ukraine was part of the Soviet Ukrainian sovereignty was catching on, Leonid Kravchuk told Parliament on him of illegally selling off the fleet's Union, its media faced severe restric­ in order to find out what was happen­ September 30 that Ukraine will never assets to private concerns. (RFE/RL tions on two levels: first, its newspapers, ing both in the USSR and abroad, not allow itself to be subordinated to any Daily Report) radio and television were controlled by to mention in Ukraine itself, Ukrai­ kind of centralized CIS structures, the Communist Party, which regarded nians were switching to Moscow-based Ukrinform-TASS reported. Mr. Krav­ 9 DONETSKE - The Civic Con­ them as vehicles for perpetuating its television and radio channels and chuk said these kinds of ideas are gress of Ukraine convened on October monopoly on power; and, second, the Western radio broadcasts. currently being propagated, and they 3, reported ITAR-TASS and DR- Soviet Russian-dominated imperial are oblique references to recent propo­ Press, with representatives from 18 system imposed restraints designed to Breaking the Communist monopoly sals for tighter CIS integration made by oblasts and the Crimea taking part. The maintain Moscow's rule and to promote Kazakh President Nursultan Nazar- group favors a federal structure for its "nationalities" policies. Thus, not Eventually, in the spring of 1990, the bayev. At the same time, Mr. Kravchuk Ukraine and official status for the only were the Ukrainian media subject­ democratic forces in Ukraine were able emphasized that, as in the past, the Russian and Ukrainian languages in the ed to the political intolerance and heavy to achieve a breakthrough. Despite the closest possible ties will be maintained Donbas region. (RFE/RL Daily Re­ censorship associated with Soviet rule, republican Communist Party's at­ with Russia.