INSIDE: • Kuchma-Gore Commission to focus on Ukraine’s economic problems — page 3. • Roundtable discusses interpretations of Ukrainian history — page 9. • The late artist Mychajlo Moroz gains international recognition — page 11. HE KRAINI A N EEKLY T PublishedU by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profitW association Vol. LXV No. 19 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 11, 1997 $1.25/$2 in Ukraine Lazarenko tries NATO secretary-general underlines Ukraine’s importance by Marta Kolomayets Partnership for Peace, in Bosnia and Ukraine to ratify the CFE Flank Agreement Special to The Ukrainian Weekly Herzegovina and in our frequent diplomatic is May 15 Mr. Solana said this is important a positive spin and military meetings. if the current talks in Vienna on moderniz- KYIV – Welcoming a new phase in rela- “Now we want to go further. We want ing are to move ahead.] by Marta Kolomayets tions between the North Atlantic Treaty to develop a document which will see the Foreign Affairs Minister Udovenko also Special to The Ukrainian Weekly Organization (NATO) and Ukraine, NATO-Ukraine relationship go beyond expressed satisfaction with the course of the Secretary-General Javier Solana arrived in KYIV – Prime Minister Pavlo what we have today,” he said addressing meetings held in Kyiv on May 7. He said Ukraine for a one-day visit on May 7, to journalists invited to attend a meeting the draft agreement presented to President Lazarenko told journalists on May 6 open the new NATO Information Center in that he expects Ukraine’s organized by Ukraine’s association of Kuchma reflected many of Ukraine’s pro- Kyiv and “to illustrate the high regard the journalists, the Ukrainian Media Club, at Verkhovna Rada to pass the 1997 posals, yet added that the negotiating allies have for Ukraine.” the Ukraine House (formerly the Lenin budget by May 20, which, in turn, process has not yet been completed. “The alliance acknowledges that Ukraine Museum). will lay the groundwork for new Minister Udovenko and Secretary- has an important and even unique place in Mr. Solana was referring to a draft foreign investments of more than General Solana signed a memorandum of the European security order. An indepen- agreement presented to President Kuchma mutual understanding between Ukraine $1.2 billion this year. dent, democratic and stable Ukraine is one outlining a “special relationship” between “I’m convinced the government and NATO regarding the opening of the of the key factors of stability and security in Ukraine and NATO. Although details of NATO Information Center in Kyiv, the has enough strength to do this and Europe. Its geographic position gives it a the agreement were not available, Mr. first of its kind. Parliament has enough intelligence major role and responsibility. Ukraine’s Kuchma told journalists that in principle “This paper seals the interest and the to do the same,” said the prime decision to renounce nuclear weapons and he agrees with the document. It is expected wish of NATO’s member-countries and minister during a 90-minute press to accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation that the document will be signed at the independent Ukraine to inform each other conference. Treaty greatly contributed to the strengthen- NATO summit in Madrid in July, when about the role and functions of NATO, as He attempted to put a positive ing of security and stability in Europe. It has the alliance is scheduled to announce it well as public attitudes toward the alliance, spin on the current economic situa- earned Ukraine special stature in the world plans for expansion. proceeding from the new realities on the tion in Ukraine, predicting an eco- community,” said Mr. Solana, after a full President Kuchma also said Ukraine and continent,” said the Ukrainian diplomat, nomic rebound, adding that it is day of meetings with President Leonid NATO do not diverge on the issue of the who was accompanied by Ukraine’s ambas- possible for Ukraine’s GDP to grow Kuchma, Verkhovna Rada Chairman Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) sador to the Benelux countries and special by about 1.5 percent this year (GDP Oleksander Moroz and Foreign Affairs treaty. During his discussions with the envoy to NATO, Borys Tarasiuk. declined by 54 percent in the last Minister Hennadii Udovenko. NATO secretary-general, the Ukrainian The new center, which opened in the five years) bringing to an end the “NATO attaches a special importance to leader said that the two men discussed the building that once housed the Higher Party post Soviet-economic collapse. He its relationship with Ukraine. In 1995, issue of flank restrictions, adding that guar- School of the Communist Party of Ukraine, also noted that the economic situa- NATO and Ukraine jointly issued a state- antees were given that the deployment of is meant to dispel myths about the Atlantic tion is stabilizing because inflation ment in which we agreed to strengthen and military units from foreign countries would alliance, said Roman Lishchynsky, a has been brought down to 0.1 per- expand our relationship. I have already not be allowed on Ukrainian territory with- cent in April, from 2.2 percent in mentioned the areas of progress; in the out Ukraine’s consent. [The deadline for (Continued on page 6) January and 1.2 percent in February. Mr. Lazarenko told journalists that he sees two main priorities in Ukraine’s defense minister in U.S. to strengthen strategic partnership Ukraine today: passing three tax by Yaro Bihun the National Security Council and the State units, and a signing ceremony at which reform laws and speeding up the Special to The Ukrainian Weekly Department as well as with members of the Minister Kuzmuk and Secretary Cohen privatization process which is to be signed three bilateral agreements: WASHINGTON – Ukrainian Defense U.S. Congress. The highlight was the completed by the end of 1997. Two • The Amendment to the Strategic Minister Oleksandr Kuzmuk came on his Pentagon visit for talks with Defense of the tax reform laws have now Nuclear Arms Elimination Agreement, been passed by the Verkhovna first visit to the United States on April 28. Secretary Cohen, which included the cere- which gives Ukraine an additional $47 mil- Rada: the value-added tax law and Four days later – after talks with American monial arrival parade with a 19-gun salute the draft law amending the law on military and political leaders and visits to and the inspection of U.S. Armed Forces (Continued on page 3) taxation of business profits. The numerous American military bases – he third law, which is expected to be returned home a satisfied man, with a passed soon, is the personal income strengthened U.S.-Ukraine “strategic part- tax law. nership,” a better understanding of the U.S. Mr. Lazarenko explained that he military and how it works, two military is now in the process of forming a medical cooperation agreements and an panel of 15 economic experts who additional $47 million for Ukraine’s disar- will advise the government on the mament process, and a promised visit to steps needed to succeed with eco- Ukraine this summer by Defense Secretary nomic reforms. William Cohen. In his first press conference since “The visit was a very fruitful one, in my he became prime minister in July of estimation,” Gen.-Col. Kuzmuk said before last year, Mr. Lazarenko tried to flying back to Kyiv. “We achieved the dispel various rumors about corrup- goals we set for ourselves.” tion in Ukraine highlighted in the The military side of the visit schedule for Western press over the last few Gen.-Col. Kuzmuk and his delegation, weeks. He charged that “certain which included the commanders of forces” stand behind this campaign Ukraine’s armed forces and top Defense of discreditation. Ministry officials, took them to the major The prime minister’s press confer- U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine ence – to which Western journalists Corps bases in the southeastern United were invited by a Washington-based States, to the Pentagon for talks with Yaro Bihun public relations firm – was also Secretary Cohen, and to National Defense clearly an attempt by Mr. Lazarenko College for discussions with military strate- Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksandr Kuzmuk (right) explains Ukraine’s posi- gists and historians. tion on expanding NATO as U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen listens. (Continued on page 6) On the political side, Minister Kuzmuk Standing behind Minister Kuzmuk during the Pentagon briefing is Volodymyr and his commanders met with officials at Havrylov, the Ukrainian military attaché in Washington. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 11, 1997 No. 19 ANALYSIS Eight reasons why Ukraine and Russia Ukraine and Romania move on treaty mation center would help calm fears shared by about a third of the population WASHINGTON – On May 3, the for- who oppose expansion of the Western eign ministers of Ukraine and Romania alliance. “The aim of the center is to will not sign an inter-state treaty initialed the text of the Bilateral Treaty by Taras Kuzio to the December 1993 Russian show NATO is in the process of transfor- on Friendship and Cooperation. During mation, that this is not only a military Constitution, the executive conducts for- consultations held in Kyiv, Romanian During the summer 1994 presidential eign policy. Therefore, there is nothing bloc ... that NATO does not pose a threat elections, candidate Leonid Kuchma reg- and Ukrainian delegations led by to independent Ukraine,’’ he said. An legally stopping Mr. Yeltsin from travel- Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister ularly accused his main rival, incumbent ing to Kyiv to sign the treaty; in fact it is opinion poll carried by UNIAN news President Leonid Kravchuk, of being a Adrian Severin and his Ukrainian coun- agency on May 6 said 37 percent of the perfectly within the realm of his powers terpart, Hennadii Udovenko, exchanged “romantic,” in contrast to his own “prag- population back the idea of Ukraine join- to do so.