The Ukrainian Weekly 1999, No.38
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www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE:• Delegation discusses press freedom in Ukraine — page 3. • Ukrainian peacekeepers in Bosnia mark Independence Day — page 5. • Oksana Krovytska cited as new “diva” — page 10. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXVII HE No.KRAINIAN 38 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1999 EEKLY$1.25/$2 in Ukraine NarodnyiT Rukh, Utoday splintered, 22-nation Wsummit in Yalta marks 10th anniversary of founding seeks end to division of Europe by Roman Woronowycz Hennadii Udovenko, which has been rec- by Roman Woronowycz Cooperation: Towards an Integrated Kyiv Press Bureau ognized by Ukraine’s Ministry of Justice as Kyiv Press Bureau Europe in the 21st Century Without the only legal heir to the original Rukh. Dividing Lines,” the summit set as its YALTA – Fifty-four years after the KYIV – Narodnyi Rukh, the pro-democ- The political party led by Mr. Kostenko, larger goal the further integration of the leaders of the victorious Allied Forces of racy and independence movement that which has been denied the right to call itself former Warsaw Pact countries and the World War II configured the geopolitical transformed itself into one of Ukraine’s National Rukh by a Supreme Court ruling, new independent states of the former map of post-war Europe, which ended most potent political parties before splitting although it continues to do so – and is still Soviet Union into mainstream European with its eastern half artificially isolated into two camps earlier this year, celebrated recognized as such by the Verkhovna Rada economic and political structures. from the rest of the continent and domi- its 10th anniversary during the week of – chose the Kyiv Polytechnical Institute for The agenda, however, was more spe- nated by Soviet Russia, Ukraine’s September 6 in a series of events that only its commemoration because 10 years ago cific than that. The subjects of discussion President Leonid Kuchma hosted a sec- emphasized how far the two sides are from the first All-Ukrainian Congress of ranged from the continued development ond summit here, attended by 22 re-union. Narodnyi Rukh, which established the of a transportation corridor for oil and European countries, to symbolically Reflecting both the disappointment of organization as a political force for restruc- gas from the Transcausus region through close the door on that part of history and Ukrainians and the current bitterness and turing the USSR, was convened there. Ukraine to the Baltic Sea, to the creation express the singleness of Europe. uncertainty within the two parties’ political The Kostenko organization asked that of an overall security structure for all of “It is greatly symbolic that we are organizations that now exist due to the the original organizing committee from Europe. gathered here, where our fate was decid- February split, observances were generally 1989 re-convene and take control of the A hot topic was how to resolve the ed for us in 1945. Today we are working muted and the rhetoric more inflammatory commemoration to give it an air of impar- practical problems that confront the to destroy those dividing lines,” said than congratulatory. tiality. It was the committee that decided to Baltic-Black Sea countries that have Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus at At the only event attended by both wings invite members of both Rukh organizations. emerged from behind the Iron Curtain the ceremonial opening of the summit at of the divided party, a commemorative con- “It was an achievement that we could get but have yet to be included in NATO and the lavish Livadia Palace, summer home vocation held on September 10 at the Kyiv both wings of Rukh together,” said Ivan have little hope of joining the European of the 19th century Russian tsars and the Polytechnical Institute, Dmytro Pavlychko, Lozovy, vice-chairman of the secretariat of Union in the near future. Those issues place where U.S. President Franklin D. a member of the organizing committe of the Mr. Kostenko’s party. include visa arrangements, border and Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston original Rukh, summed up Rukh’s current The organizing committee included customs regulations, and trade agree- Churchill and Soviet Premier Joseph situation: “We are not the same fire-spew- many individuals who today do not ments. Ukraine’s President Kuchma, Stalin met at the infamous Yalta ing volcano; today we only spew smoke.” belong to either Rukh camp. It was led by whose country borders the three newest Conference more than five decades ago. After its birth on September 9, 1989, Volodymyr Yavorivskyi, who until recent- member-states of NATO, all of which are Officially called the “International Narodnyi Rukh Ukrainy, the Popular ly led the Democratic Party of Ukraine, Conference on Baltic-Black Sea (Continued on page 6) Movement of Ukraine for Perebudova, and Ivan Drach, Rukh’s first leader, who quickly became the vanguard for Ukraine’s today is a member of Mr. Kostenko’s pro-democracy movement and independ- organization. It also included National ence, and then a significant political party in Deputies Serhii Holovatii and Mykhailo the fledgling state. It was an organization Porovskyi, who are no longer Rukh mem- Joint Conferences present Gore that often suffered from internal dissent, but bers. found unity and a single overriding cause in The commemoration attracted 1,200 the building of a democratic and independ- people, most of whom, it seemed, were with Friend of Ukraine Award by Roma Hadzewycz ent Ukrainian state. Kostenko supporters. Banners in support of U.S.-Ukraine strategic partnership. Internal bickering after the 1998 the presidential candidacy of Mr. Kostenko Present were leaders of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada elections finally reached WASHINGTON – Vice-President Al American organizations that had played an dotted the hall and campaign literature was Gore received the Friend of Ukraine Award critical mass at the beginning of this year, abundant, although both sides had agreed to integral role in the Joint Conferences held in when a majority of members in the party’s conferred by the Joint Conferences of Washington on June 23-27, as well as Mr. keep the elections out of the celebration, Ukrainian American Organizations during a Verkhovna Rada faction decided to oust the according to Mr. Udovenko. Gore’s national security adviser, Leon brief, off-the-record, meeting in his office at party chairman, Vyacheslav Chornovil. Two Mr. Udovenko told Interfax-Ukraine that Fuerth, who was the keynote speaker at the the Old Executive Office Building on wings formed after the long time leader was he was disappointed the celebration had conferences’ gala banquet. removed in a hastily called congress in been transformed into a political rally and September 15. The award recognized the February in an internal putsch led by Yurii called the actions “unethical.” The leader of vice-president’s work in strengthening the (Continued on page 13) Kostenko. Since Mr. Chornovil’s death in a the government-recognized Rukh also said tragic car accident a month after his ouster, that his group had received only 50 invita- relations between the two groups have tions out of the 1,500 extended. grown icy. However, during his address to the The two sides have had a difficult time crowd Mr. Udovenko was restrained in his finding common ground and language. criticism and even suggested that Mr. They have thrown barbs and slung mud. Kostenko’s organization draw up a program Each wing has put forward its own presi- for a Rukh-led national renaissance that his dential candidate. Although both sides have organization would review. Those remarks expressed the need for reconciliation, nei- were greeted with hearty applause. ther Rukh has shown a willingness to com- Both Mr. Udovenko and Mr. Kostenko, promise. who also addressed the crowd, underscored Attendance was light at several public in their remarks the need for their individual events held in celebration of Rukh’s 10th political organizations to take the govern- birthday, most notably at a public meeting ment reigns of power. Mr. Kostenko said on St. Sophia Square on September 11. that one of Rukh’s main failures over the Mass meetings, as this one was supposed to last 10 years was its cooperation with for- be, were once the hallmark of Rukh. Before mer Communists who retained power. He the split at least a thousand supporters could cited as another failure the inability of the have been expected to show up at any rally democratic forces to present an integral Office of the Vice-President called by the party. On Rukh’s 10th birthday Ukrainian political philosophy. fewer than 500 people turned out. It was Holding the Friend of Ukraine Award, Vice-President Al Gore addresses Ukrainian organized by the Rukh camp led by (Continued on page 16) American community leaders. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1999 No. 38 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Giving Yalta a new meaning Ukraine tightens security measures Kazakstan wants economic cooperation by Paul Goble appealed to the European Union not to cre- KYIV – President Leonid Kuchma on ASTANA, Kazakstan – Meeting on ate a new “paper curtain” of travel restric- Yalta, the place where Moscow and the September 13 signed a directive providing September 9 in Astana with a visiting dele- tions in place at the now-collapsed “Iron West divided Eastern Europe in 1945, is for measures to strengthen “public security gation from Dniprodzerzhinsk, President Curtain” of the Cold War. now the symbol of the new and independent and guard technically sensitive facilities” in Nursultan Nazarbaev advocated reviving Such restrictions on the “free movement role the countries between Russia and connection with the growing number of ter- traditional economic cooperation between of law-abiding citizens of states aspiring for Germany and the Baltic and Black seas rorist attacks in Russia.” Mr.