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INSIDE: • The crisis at Ukraine’s state archives — page 5. • Commentary on the verdict in the Gongadze case – page 8. • More on NATO’s summit in Bucharest — pages 10-12. HE KRAINIAN EEKLY T PublishedU by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profitW association Vol. LXXVI No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 $1/$2 in Ukraine NATO makes commitment to eventual membership for Ukraine and Georgia by Vladimir Socor Eurasia Daily Monitor At its Bucharest summit, NATO postponed a decision on approving Membership Action Plans (MAPs) for Ukraine and Georgia; but it gave the two countries much more than immediate MAPs. The alliance committed itself clearly – albeit without a deadline – to the political and strategic goal of Ukrainian and Georgian member- ship in the alliance. “NATO welcomes Ukraine’s and Georgia’s aspirations for membership in NATO. We agreed today that these countries will become members of NATO. Both nations have made valuable contributions to alliance operations. We welcome the democratic reforms in Ukraine and Official Website of Ukraine’s President Georgia and look forward to free and fair parliamentary During the NATO-Ukraine Commission meeting on April 4, President Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine listens elections in Georgia in May. MAP is the next step for as NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer speaks. Ukraine and Georgia on their direct way to membership. Today we make clear that we support these countries’ applications for MAP. Therefore, we will now begin at a Ukraine’s leaders see victory at NATO summit high political level to address the questions still outstand- ing, pertaining to their MAP applications. We have asked by Illya M. Labunka come of the 59th annual meeting of the Euro-Atlantic foreign ministers to make a first assessment of progress Kyiv Press Bureau alliance, that Ukraine’s head of state is certain his country at their December 2008 meeting. Foreign ministers have will join NATO’s MAP by the end of 2008. In December of KYIV – Although the NATO summit in Bucharest did the authority to decide on the MAP applications of this year, the foreign ministers of the 26 member-states of not fulfill Ukraine’s specific request for a Membership Ukraine and Georgia,” stated the NATO Bucharest the NATO are scheduled to meet at NATO Headquarters in Action Plan (MAP) and Ukraine’s leaders have accepted the Summit Declaration released on April 4. Brussels, at which time Ukraine’s MAP candidacy will once alliance’s decision as somewhat of a tactical defeat, In an accompanying statement, NATO Secretary- again come up for consideration. President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer announced, “These coun- Commenting on the results of the Bucharest summit, Tymoshenko consider the summit’s results a strategic victo- tries will become members of NATO, there can be no President Yushchenko stated on April 6 that NATO’s ry. misunderstanding of that” – “not a sliver of a doubt,” he In fact, President Yushchenko is so content with the out- (Continued on page 28) added for emphasis. As Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski commented (PAP, April 4), the summit’s outcome turns a looming tactical defeat into a major strategic success for Ukraine, Georgia and their North American and European supporters. The tacti- SUSTA national conference held in Philadelphia cal defeat had seemed distinctly possible, ahead of and midway through the summit, as a result of German-led by Matthew Dubas spoke in support of student efforts to bring Ukraine into attempts to block the MAPs, giving Moscow an indirect Europe, but he said the European Union is not ready to veto through Berlin on the decision. However, pro-MAP PHILADELPHIA – Approximately 100 students partici- expand. countries mustered sufficient critical mass to turn the pated in the conference of the Federation of Ukrainian Chrystia Freeland, U.S. managing editor of the Financial tables on the naysayers and win the debate. They shifted Student Organizations in America (known by its Ukrainian Times, who spoke briefly due to her busy schedule, urged it from the technical issue of the MAPs to the political acronym as SUSTA) at the University of Pennsylvania here the students to visit Ukraine and gain first-hand experience issue of membership for Ukraine and Georgia in NATO. in Philadelphia on March 29. from seeing Ukraine and learning how things work over As a net result, membership prospects for Georgia and The event was coordinated by the Ukrainian Society at there, and to use that experience for the betterment of Ukraine in NATO are no longer in doubt. Membership U. Penn. and demonstrated a high level of organization, as Ukraine. itself remains subject to their performance as assessed by the agenda included discussion panels, videoconferencing Morgan Williams, a member of the U.S.-Ukraine the alliance, as with all aspirant countries. NATO is a with a professor and a student from Ukraine, and the elec- Business Council, shared his personal experience in doing beneficiary of this decision, no less than Ukraine and tion of officers for 2009. business in Ukraine. He explained to the students the oppor- Georgia. The decision has restored the credibility of In comparison to last year’s event, there were more NATO’s open-door, merit-based admission policies, tunities available to them because of their Ukrainian back- Fourth-Wave Ukrainians involved in local Ukrainian stu- ground and how they can play a vital role in modernizing which had been thrown into question by those who were dent clubs and more interaction and dialogue throughout the resisting the MAPs in deference to Russia. the business practices in Ukraine by consulting for interna- year, which helped to make this event successful. tional businesses in Ukraine. This includes combating cor- For the first time in the NATO’s 59-year history, the Igor Makar, president of the Ukrainian Society at U. alliance announced a political commitment to inviting ruption and bringing Ukraine’s businesses up to internation- Penn. and project director of SUSTA, welcomed the gather- al standards, he said. countries – Ukraine and Georgia in this case – to become ing. He later remarked, “It was a great conference, with an members in due course. Moreover, this commitment was Dr. Serhii Plokhii, Mykhailo Hrushevsky professor of impressive collection of panelists from the diaspora and Ukrainian History at Harvard University and director of the announced even before the two aspirant countries had Ukraine with great variety of topics.” technically embarked on the MAP process. Until now, all Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, spoke of the need to “I think the most important thing,” he continued, “is that convince the world and Europe that Ukraine is part of MAP countries went on to become members of the the end of the conference is not the end, but the start of alliance; but the process was not automatic. Europe, both geographically and ideologically. something and we continue to work for SUSTA.” Moreover, in the pre-summit debates, the advocates of The question, according to Prof. Plokhii, is “What do Oleksander Myhailchuk, head of the cultural and infor- Ukrainian and Georgian MAPs attempted to overcome Ukrainians in Ukraine think about their European future?” mational section at the Embassy of Ukraine, commended German objections by decoupling MAP from actual European optimism in Ukraine, according to Prof. Plokhii, membership, in their arguments. While there is no “guar- the students for organizing such a conference, and support- was evidenced by the renaming of European Square in Kyiv ed the student activities that engage them in work toward (Continued on page 14) the betterment of Ukraine. Hearing the other speakers, he (Continued on page 4) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 No. 15 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS

Human rights activist decries Russia’s Putin: Ukraine not a state like always.” (RFE/RL Newsline) MOSCOW – The Moscow Times Russia will block NATO enlargement destructive culture of lies and mendacity reported on April 8 that President MOSCOW – Foreign Minister Sergei by Robert Coalson ent media can only be taken as “a continua- Vladimir Putin said on April 4 at the meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in Lavrov told Ekho Moskvy radio on April 8 RFE/RL Newsline tion of your untruth,” rebounding against Bucharest that Russia will work to break that Moscow will do all it can to prevent the hard wall of the public’s cynicism. NATO membership for Ukraine and Although there has been considerable up Ukraine if that country joins NATO. Russia, of course, has had unaccount- Georgia in order “to avoid an inevitable talk in recent months about possible politi- Citing a report in the daily Kommersant able government for more than 1,000 years serious exacerbation of our relations with cal, constitutional or economic crises in from April 7, The Moscow Times sug- and the Soviet era accustomed the public to both the alliance and our neighbors.” He Russia, only distinguished human rights gested that an unidentified foreign dele- incredulity. Although President Putin’s repeated Moscow’s long-standing argu- activist Sergei Kovalyov has drawn atten- gate described Mr. Putin as “losing his Russia is not a reincarnation of the Soviet ments that NATO enlargement is rooted in tion to a crisis that is already under way: temper” at the meeting and saying to Union, it has succeeded in re-establishing “Cold War logic,” that much of the Russia’s “shameful moral crisis.” U.S. President George W. Bush: “You this pernicious aspect of its political cul- Ukrainian public is opposed to NATO In a largely ignored open letter to understand, George, that Ukraine is not ture, making it arguably worse by stripping membership, and that the pro-Moscow President Vladimir Putin published shortly even a state.” Mr. Putin reportedly it of an ideological framework that at least leaderships of Georgia’s breakaway before the March 2 presidential election, the claimed that Russia will encourage the offered some clues for interpretation. Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions former Soviet-era political prisoner and heir separation of eastern Ukraine and the Now, when Central Election oppose Georgian membership. Russian to Andrei Sakharov condemned the culture Crimea from Ukraine if that country Commission Chairman Vladimir Churov Ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin of lies that the government has fostered in joins NATO. The Moscow Times added calls Russia’s electoral system the most wrote in the April 7 issue of the govern- its bid to “manage” Russian democracy. that “Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, open and transparent system in the world, ment daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta that “all Mr. Kovalyov referred in particular to who accompanied Putin at the summit, it cannot be understood in any other way countries seeking to join NATO have to official statements and court rulings that said [on April 7] he did not hear Putin’s than as Mr. Kovalyov said: “the very lie hold a referendum first. The decision has the December 2007 Duma elections and purported remarks about Ukraine and that no longer aspires to deceive anyone.” to be made by all Ukrainian citizens. the presidential campaign were open, fair For anyone inside such a culture, there- could not confirm the report.” On April 8 Would they be prepared to send their boys and democratic. But he also referred to the fore, any statement becomes the subject of the daily Komsomolskaya Pravda quoted to certain death in Iraq or Afghanistan for wider culture that has blossomed under analysis rather than a furtherance of dis- Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying the sake of Atlantic solidarity?” The President Putin – the creation of managed cord. Why is he saying this, the listener that the United States addressed some of Moscow Times commented on April 9, political parties that pretend to be an oppo- asks. And why now? And for whom? This Russia’s fears regarding missile defense however, that “Russia’s main argument sition, the fostering of Kremlin-sponsored is not a new development of the Putin era, at the Bush-Putin summit in Sochi on against NATO enlargement is that it would non-governmental organizations that take but Mr. Putin has certainly done nothing to April 6 but “where NATO’s expansion is threaten its security. That is nonsense, and funding and attention from their problem- roll this culture back. Instead, he has concerned, however, I cannot say I’ve Russia knows it.” The paper added that atic counterparts, the “spontaneous” manipulated it, benefited from it, fostered noticed any indication of readiness to “the Kremlin has found that behaving like appearance of grassroots movements such it, and – in Mr. Kovalyov’s opinion – all allay our fears.” On April 7 Interfax a spoiled child gets results: the right to as “For Putin!” that purport to be but ensured that there is no road back for quoted State Duma Speaker and Unified influence developments in former Soviet groundswells, etc. Russia. Russia leader Boris Gryzlov as saying countries. In other words, Russia is being Mr. Kovalyov emphasized the “corrupt- On March 10 President Putin held a that Russia will “review” its relations allowed to reassert its sphere of influence – ing force” of the lies that Russia’s leaders rare, closed-door meeting with Yabloko with any CIS member-state that joins a concept that should have been superced- “are incapable of rejecting.” He notes that party leader Grigory Yavlinsky. Very little NATO. He noted that it is the business of ed by that of ‘Europe whole and free,’ no “remotely literate citizen” believes these has been said about the content of those other states to decide whether to join the which the entire European Union appeared lies, including even the staunchest support- discussions, with even the usually open Atlantic alliance but the business of to have embraced when communism col- ers of Mr. Putin and the pro-Kremlin and accessible Mr. Yavlinsky remaining Russia to decide how to react. On April 8 lapsed.” The daily stressed that “the crux Unified Russia party. silent. Mr. Yavlinsky did say, however, that Interfax quoted Russian Ambassador to of the matter is Europe’s lack of political Addressing the Russian leadership, Mr. he briefed Mr. Putin on the case of Yabloko Ukraine Viktor Chernomyrdin as saying will to forge a unified stand toward Russia. Kovalyov speaks of a “paradoxical official Maksim Reznik, who was arrested that any decision by Ukraine to join This has led the Kremlin to pursue a clas- change” in the relationship between the on March 3 on charges (assaulting a police NATO will lead to unspecified “conse- sic ‘divide-and-rule’ strategy by tempting public and the ruling elite. “You lie, your officer) that he claims are politically moti- quences” in its relations with Russia. Mr. some big European countries into bilateral listeners know this, and you know that they vated. Chernomyrdin, who was a Soviet-era gas agreements – particularly on energy issues don’t believe you ... and they also know Mr. Reznik has exposed falsification of specialist, served as Russian prime min- – that preclude a common EU [European that you know they don’t believe you. the presidential election results and organ- ister in 1992-1998. He made his remarks Union] position.” Alluding to the Western Everybody knows everything. The very lie ized opposition March of Dissent rallies; on Ukraine at a reception to mark his European objections to MAPs for Georgia no longer aspires to deceive anyone. From he is a leading organizer of a conference 70th birthday and to present his book and Ukraine, Polish President Lech being a means of fooling people, it has for later this month at which the country’s lib- “We Tried Our Best.” Many remember Kaczynski commented on the eve of the some reason turned into an everyday way erals plan to discuss the formation of a him for his comment from 1993 that “we of life, a customary and obligatory rule for genuine, liberal opposition front. Mr. wanted the best, but things turned out (Continued on page 18) living.” Yavlinsky said Mr. Putin promised “to look “The customary lies of leaders always into the case,” implying strongly that the generate and cultivate cynicism in society president gave him the impression that he and cannot achieve anything else,” Mr. had not heard of the Reznik matter before. FOUNDED 1933 Kovalyov declared. “And gradually going But in Russia’s current culture, how are THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY back by the same path we came on is we to understand Mr. Putin’s promise? The An English-language newspaper published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., almost impossible, since you are doomed skeptical observer could be excused for a non-profit association, at 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054. to lie.” He said that in such a culture speculating that Mr. Reznik was essentially Yearly subscription rate: $55; for UNA members — $45. President-Elect Dmitry Medvedev’s state- being held as a hostage in some political Periodicals postage paid at Parsippany, NJ 07054 and additional mailing offices. ments about “freedom being better than game, perhaps one aimed at disrupting or (ISSN — 0273-9348) non-freedom” and the need for independ- discrediting the upcoming liberal confer- ence. (One might logically assume that Mr. The Weekly: UNA: Yavlinsky’s silence about the meeting is Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 644-9510 Tel: (973) 292-9800; Fax: (973) 292-0900 connected to his desire to secure Mr. Reznik’s release.) Postmaster, send address changes to: Clarification Russia’s political culture is replete with The Ukrainian Weekly Editor-in-chief: Roma Hadzewycz In the story headlined “Foundations similar examples. 2200 Route 10 Editor: Matthew Dubas announce establishment at Soyuzivka of Early in President Putin’s tenure, when P.O. Box 280 Roma Pryma Bohachevsky Dance oligarch Vladimir Gusinsky refused to sign Parsippany, NJ 07054 Academy” (March 23), the reference to over his media properties to the state, he the Verkhovyna Mountain View Resort was thrown in prison until he complied. The Ukrainian Weekly Archive: www.ukrweekly.com; e-mail: [email protected] (its current name) should have made it More recently, former Yukos Vice- The Ukrainian Weekly, April 13, 2008 No. 15, Vol. LXXVI clear that, at the time of the dance work- President Vasily Aleksanyan, who has Copyright © 2008 The Ukrainian Weekly shop’s founding, the resort was called spent some two years in pretrial detention simply Verkhovyna and was owned by under abominable conditions, was denied the Ukrainian Fraternal Association. medical treatment for AIDS and serious related complications. (After massive ADMINISTRATION OF THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY AND SVOBODA domestic and international outcry, he was eventually moved to a medical clinic for Walter Honcharyk, administrator (973) 292-9800, ext. 3041 Addendum treatment, but remains in custody.) e-mail: [email protected] Lawyers involved in the Yukos cases have Maria Oscislawski, advertising manager (973) 292-9800, ext. 3040 The page of photos from President said they believe Mr. Aleksanyan’s treat- e-mail: [email protected] George W. Bush’s visit to Kyiv (April 6) ment was an attempt to pressure the Mariyka Pendzola, subscriptions (973) 292-9800, ext. 3042 should have been credited to the Official e-mail: [email protected] Website of Ukraine’s President. (Continued on page 26) No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 3 Land reform in Ukraine: still stymied by moratorium on land sales by Illya M. Labunka Yet, because many lawful owners of land the status quo vis-à-vis the land market. In “The people in the villages are selling Kyiv Press Bureau are deputies to municipal councils or work addition, the absence of a national registry their tracts of land for cheap rates as they elsewhere in the government, they often regarding the sale of land is beneficial to become victims of so-called land raiders, KYIV – Ukraine’s territory encompass- include the illegal change of allocation in large agricultural and industrial companies because they are poorly informed, while es over 60 million hectares of land, 70 per- their land deals. which manage to arrange quasi-legal land the government is turning a blind eye and cent of which is used for agro-industrial “We cannot cancel the moratorium to rezoning purchases with local authorities. says nothing,” said Ms. Rymar. purposes. The majority of owners of such sell agricultural land when virtually no According to Larysa Rymar, head of the Ukrainian citizens may acquire the land (53 percent) are people of retirement appropriate draft legislation exists for the Ternopil Oblast-based civic organization ownership rights to a tract of land on the age who are no longer physically able to creation of a real estate market,” said Association of Land Owners, the moratori- basis of 1) a sale-purchase, gift, rent, barter till the land. At the same time, those will- Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko in um and other already ratified legislation or other legal agreement; 2) gratuitous ing to work the fields lack the modern agri- response to the latest extension of the breeds corruption. “We conducted legal transfer from state or communal owner- cultural technology necessary for such moratorium. research and analyzed current legislation, ship; 3) privatization of land plots previ- labor. Thus, the moratorium will remain and we came to the conclusion that certain ously allocated to them; 4) inheritance; or As a result, land shares and so-called extended indefinitely until the Verkhovna laws have a double standard and are being 5) an in-kind share to which they are legal- “personal homesteading land” are actively Rada passes necessary legislation aimed at interpreted, not for the benefit of society, but ly entitled. being bought and sold on the thriving gray regulating the real estate market and regis- for the advantage of certain individuals.” On the other hand, foreigners and legal market, despite a moratorium on the sale tering land transactions. More specifically, The moratorium is a violation and limi- entities may acquire non-agricultural tracts of agro-industrial land. once the Rada ratifies draft laws on “The tation of land owners’ rights to freely uti- of land on the basis of 1) sale-purchase, The land sale moratorium, first intro- State Land Registry” and “The Law on lize their property and hampers the devel- gift, rent, barter and other legal agree- duced in 2001 along with a revised Land Land Markets,” Ukraine’s coveted black opment of a civilized land market, added ments; 2) buyouts of land plots on which Code granting Ukrainians ownership earth – more than 60 percent of the coun- Ms. Rymar. personally owned real estate is already rights, was originally intended to restrict try’s land mass – will become a legal com- Ms. Rymar noted her concern that, as a located; or 3) inheritance. However, a for- the sale of agricultural land until 2005. modity. According to analysts, the passage result of current laws and the lack of eign citizen may attain ownership rights to However, the moratorium, which also pro- of such legislation and cancellation of the appropriate new legislation, the gap a non-agricultural tract of land on the out- hibits changing land allocation (for exam- moratorium will not only decrease but may between the city and village is widening as skirts of populated areas only if he already ple, re-zoning from farm to industrial land) in fact stop the rise of land costs. investments in the agricultural sector in has privately owned real estate on such of one’s farmland has been extended annu- Nevertheless, experts agree that the two Ternopil Oblast, in particular, are lagging. tracts of land. ally, most recently on December 28, 2007. key pieces of legislation will probably not Apparently, there are discrepancies President Viktor Yushchenko has long Parliament continues to justify the be ratified in 2008, and the moratorium between the Land and Civil codes which pushed for the cancellation of the land sale moratorium by citing the need to protect will be extended for yet another year. Such need to be eliminated, and the distinction moratorium and expressed hope that Ukrainian peasants and prevent predatory speculation is partly due to the fact that between state and communal landowner- Parliament would ratify appropriate legis- buyouts of land by large business interests there is a strong lobby in the Verkhovna ship needs to be verified once and for all, lation in 2008 in order to lift the ban on the ready to make billion-dollar land deals. Rada that is more interested in maintaining according to the landowners’ activist. sale of agricultural land by 2009.

Ukraine’s scouts expect membership in world scouting organization by Illya M. Labunka thus, the candidacies of the other two Kyiv Press Bureau scouting organizations were added. Plast has 130 branches in 24 oblasts of KYIV – On March 31 the World Ukraine as well as Crimea, and approxi- Organization of the Scout Movement mately 10,000 members. Each year it (WOSM), based in Geneva, informed the organizes approximately 100 camps National Organization of Scouts of throughout the territory of Ukraine. Ukraine (NOSU) that Ukraine’s scouting Current membership in the National organizations could anticipate full mem- Organization of Scouts of Ukraine equals bership in the near future. approximately 40 percent from Plast, 40 In accordance with the requirements percent from SPOK and 20 percent from of the WOSM’s Constitution, the World Sich. Leadership representation of the Scout Committee considered the NOSU’s three scouting organizations at the application at its meeting on February National Council level of the NOSU 29-March 2 and recommended Ukraine’s reflects the same percentage rates. admittance. As a result, Ukraine’s scouts Although one can be a member of the could finally become full-fledged and NOSU as well as a member of one of the officially recognized members of the three scouting organizations simultane- international scouting community as ously, direct membership for new mem- early as this summer. bers is strongly encouraged. In a letter signed by Luc Panissod, act- On March 28 President Viktor ing secretary general of the WOSM, Yushchenko issued decree No 279/2008 under the terms of Article VI.2 of the calling for official governmental support WOSM Constitution, “if within three on behalf of Plast’s and the scouting Mykola Muzala months the recommendation is unop- movement’s further development in At the recent 11th national conference of Plast in Ukraine (from left) are: posed or opposed by less than 5 percent Ukraine. President Yushchenko, himself Kostiantyn Yakovchuk-Besarab, head of the Plast National Command; Dr. of the member-organizations,” the NOSU an honorary member of Plast, signed the Bohdan Hawrylyshyn, deputy head of the Plast National Council; and Ksenia will be declared a member, as the nation- decree to mark the upcoming 20th Opanasiuk, deputy head of the Plast National Command. al scout organization of Ukraine, of the anniversary of Plast’s rebirth in Ukraine WOSM as of July 1. in 2009, as well as to bring attention to The National Organization of Scouts of the preparations for Plast’s centennial, bers of Plast are scheduled to clean up Basarab, a nationalist who died a heroic Ukraine was established at its founding scheduled to be commemorated in 2012, the banks and cliffs of the Dnipro River death in a Polish prison in 1924. congress on March 27, 2007, in Kyiv. The in separate phases throughout Ukraine. adjacent to the parish. Later that evening Following the end of World War II, congress, which included the participation “Such a great honor is, first and fore- Plast candidates will take an oath at the Levytsky ended up in the Bavarian city of scouting representatives from through- most, a serious responsibility and task for one-time Naumenko Gymnasium, where of Karlsfeld, where in October 1945 he out Ukraine, approved the Constitution of Ukraine,” said Kostiantyn Yakovchuk- the first Kyiv-based scouting groups took part in a conference initiating the the NOSU and elected its governing bod- Besarab, head of the National Plast were formed in 1915. official renewal of Plast’s activities out- ies. Together with the scouting organiza- Command of Ukraine, in response to the In the city of Avdiyivka, Donetsk side then Soviet-occupied Ukraine. tions SPOK (Spilka Pionerskoi presidential decree. Oblast, members of Plast are scheduled to In 1947, in the Bavarian town of Orhanizatsii Kyieva, a Ukrainian civic “We will make every effort to provide organize a training seminar on healthy Regensburg, Levytsky was elected youth organization) and Sich (a Ukrainian the children and youth of our country the living. In addition to Avdiyivka and Plast’s first chief scout. In 1949 Levytsky children’s association), Plast Ukrainian opportunity to participate in the Ukrainian Donetsk itself, Plast branches in the emigrated to the United States, ultimately Scouting Organization co-founded the aspect of world scouting, in order to rear Donetsk Oblast are active also in settling in Buffalo, N.Y., where he lived NOSU in an effort to unify the scouting good citizens who are members of local, as Kramatorsk, Mariupol and other cities. until his death on January 20, 1962. movement in Ukraine into a single nation- well as international, communities focused On Sunday, April 13, the city of Lviv In accordance with his last wishes, al scouting organization in order to qualify on a healthy lifestyle and love for one’s will be the site of the re-burial ceremony Plast’s Siryi Lev will be re-buried at the for WOSM membership. country,” added Mr. Yakovchuk-Besarab. of Plast’s first chief scout (nachalnyi Lychakiv Cemetery in Lviv, next to one According to current WOSM regula- Over the weekend of April 12-13 Plast plastun), Severyn Levytsky, known under of Plast’s co-founders, Dr. Oleksander tions, Plast – as one of the three most will be marking its 96th anniversary his Plast pseudonym as “Siryi Lev.” Tysovskyi. prominent scouting organizations active throughout Ukraine. Levytsky was born on September 6, Ukrainian Catholic Patriarch Lubomyr in Ukraine today, – would not have quali- On Saturday, April 12, with the bless- 1890, in the village of Schurovtsi, Husar, also a member of Plast, and Lviv fied as the sole scouting entity in Ukraine ing of St. Nicholas Parish at Askold’s Halychyna region. He was the brother of Mayor Andrii Sadovyi, are scheduled to seeking official international recognition; Tomb (Askoldova Mohyla), Kyiv mem- another patron of Plast, namely Olha participate in the re-burial ceremonies. 4 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 No. 15

ence and engineering at the State University of New York at SUSTA national conference... Stony Brook, complimented the organizational sophistica- (Continued from page 1) tion of the SUSTA event and shared his experience in the from the Soviet-era name of Lenin Square. development of Ukrainian studies at Cambridge University A member of the audience asked the panelists, “Who is in England. According to Prof. Orlov, at European institu- responsible for progress in Ukraine, the politicians or the tions it was easier to gain financial support by casting a people?” larger net and hosting events for “Slavonic studies” rather Mykola Popovych, director of the Skovoroda Institute of than limiting them to Ukrainian donors. Philosophy in Kyiv, spoke via videoconference of demo- As an example, he cited a $1 million donation by an cratic practices in Ukraine and the reforms that are neces- anonymous donor for the establishment of a lectureship in sary for the advancement of Ukraine. Slavonic studies at Cambridge University. Prof. Orlov indi- Prof. Popovych responded that the leaders are responsi- cated that the identity of the donor would be revealed in the ble, but Ukrainian capitalism, which is a mixture of Soviet next few months. practices and corruption, prevents real progress from hap- Yevheniya Krutko, executive director of the USA/USA pening. “Leaders in Ukraine can’t be held responsible due Program, briefly explained what her organization does for to the lack of modern governmental infrastructure,” he said. students in Ukraine and urged cooperative efforts with “International investors are needed to modernize and SUSTA, which could provide a platform for the coordina- build Ukraine to what it should be,” Mr. Williams added, in tion of efforts between the two organizations. answering the question posed. Mary Kolodij, chairman of Ukrainian Selfreliance On Ukraine’s European integration aspirations, audience Federal Credit Union based in Philadelphia, and a former members questioned what factors are hindering the process. member of SUSTA, said that the purpose of SUSTA is to According to Mr. Williams, these include Europe and coordinate efforts with the established Ukrainian communi- Russia sharing gas issues and the lack of trust in Ukraine on ty. She urged the students to be a part of it by getting the part of certain European states. involved and underscored that Ukrainians must stand united In closing remarks, Dr. Plokhii compared the goals of as one global Ukrainian community. SUSTA in the past to the current goals and reminded the While fielding questions from members of the audience, students that the current student body is better prepared with Profs. Pokhii and Orlov explained that, for students in Ukrainian linguistics and culture to inform the university Ukraine, it is difficult to establish Ukrainian studies due to community of Ukraine’s potential. the lack of financial support from the government. The only Matthew Dubas Prof. Popovych reminded the students that “the biggest opportunity for students is for them to participate in summer threat to Ukraine or for Ukrainians is to become complacent schools, where Ukrainian-focused learning is concentrated. Dr. Serhii Plokhii speaks at the SUSTA conference. regarding Ukrainian advancement.” He added, “SUSTA An informational forum held after the second panel ses- needs to show the university community what Ukraine can sion included tables set up for students to learn about organ- at a later date. The site will include new links to various do.” izations involved with Ukraine. These included: Ukraine affiliated clubs, resources of different Ukrainian organiza- During the second panel discussion, Zenon Tech-Czarny, Special Needs Orphanages Fund, IQ-Ukraine, the Kennan tions, posting of videos from the conference, a bulletin outgoing president of SUSTA, informed the conference Institute, Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, Ukrainian board that would inform students of scholarships, fellow- about the history of the organization and its current tasks, Congress Committee of America, Committee for ships, internships, and resume posting. including filing for non-profit status and developing Ukrainians of Greater Philadelphia, Selfreliance Ukrainian One suggestion made after the presentation of the web- SUSTA’s Internet presence. The Westernization of Ukraine, Federal Credit Union, U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, The site cited the need for an online forum to spur dialogue according to Mr. Tech-Czarny, is not a black or white Orange Circle and the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary between clubs and members, and to develop good resources process, and SUSTA brings students together as part of this Program. for advertisements. development. Andrij Harasewych of Villanova University said, “As “In reflecting back on last year’s conference to this Yaroslav Lysiuk, a member of AIESEC (Association one of the founding members of the revived SUSTA, this year’s,” Mr. Tech-Czarny said, “the students at U. Penn. Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et organization is striving to change the involvement level of really executed a phenomenal conference that not only Commerciales), an international student organization that Ukrainian students, from merely attending events, to plan- impressed the students, but the panelists as well. The atten- includes over 25,000 students in 105 countries, briefly ning and executing them.” dance was much better this year and the speakers really said that students in the West can work with students in “This conference truly embodied the idea of bringing motivated the students to get involved.” Ukraine in developing positive aspects of Ukrainian students together, with the use of videoconferencing with Bogdan Ignaschenko, a junior at the University of society, including internships, where students can learn students from Ukraine. But SUSTA is trying to reach out to Pennsylvania and an active member of the Ukrainian about corporate responsibilities in Ukraine, social issues all those students who joined SUSTA’s online groups on Society at U. Penn., was elected as the new president of that need to be addressed and the advancement of educa- websites like Multiply and Facebook, and use these web- SUSTA. Mr. Ignaschenko said of the conference, “SUSTA’s tion policies. Though his remarks were cut short due to a sites for organizing events and attracting participants,” he progress is evidenced by the number of participants dou- lack of time on the videoconferencing schedule, Mr. added. bling from last year’s conference.” Lysiuk said he looks forward to further cooperation with In taking comments from the attending students, Zenon Over 2,000 members belong to the SUSTA Facebook SUSTA. AIESEC has branches in Kharkiv, Ternopil, Halatyn of Rutgers University said that this year’s confer- group, Mr. Ignaschenko continued, and “we would like to Berdiansk, Kyiv, Lviv, Donetsk, Cherkasy, Sevastopol, ence was more about listening rather than interaction convert that passive interest into active participation by pro- Symferopol, Mariupol, Ivano-Frankivsk, among students. Mr. Halatyn suggested that there should be viding opportunities for everyone to get involved in either Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv and Odesa. more student discussion rather than lecture-type presenta- political, cultural, economic or artistic events at their Prof. Plokhii, who spoke about the development of tions. school.” Ukrainian studies and the role of SUSTA, said that he per- Although SUSTA has attracted many students from uni- SUSTA is in the process of applying for non-profit status sonally is a beneficiary of SUSTA due to the development versities in the Northeast, Mr. Tech-Czarny informed the to make SUSTA a legally existing entity and to gain more of HURI under the initiative of SUSTA. Other evidence of group that the organization is looking to get universities in financial support from the community. Mr. Ignaschenko SUSTA’s work, according to Prof. Plokhii, include the Chicago, California, Colorado and other areas involved as added that SUSTA is making inroads with other Ukrainian establishment of Ukrainian studies chairs and the develop- well. “Regional SUSTA conferences are one way to address student organizations like SUSK (Ukrainian Canadian ment of courses and a curriculum of Ukrainian studies. He this issue,” Mr. Tech-Czarny added. University Students’ Union) and AEISEC to coordinate urged the students to take part in this year’s Harvard With a rushed time schedule, SUSTA’s constitution was efforts of the global Ukrainian student community. Ukrainian Summer Institute. unanimously passed and the students got to see a preview of For more information on SUSTA’s events, readers may Dr. Alexander Orlov, assistant professor of material sci- the new SUSTA website, which will be officially launched visit the website at www.ukrainianstudents.net.

Students and non-students alike listen to presentations on the role of student organizations by the second session of panelists. Members of the Ukrainian Society at U. Penn. who organized the SUSTA conference. No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 5 Crisis at Ukraine’s state archives as pro-Soviet director exerts control by Peter T. Woloschuk book titled “Strana Kotoroy Nyet” (A name of ‘political expediency.’ The law Country that No Longer Exists), features on government service and the archival BOSTON – Six months after parlia- Bolshevik memorabilia, Lenin and Stalin code of ethics don’t allow me to remain in mentary elections and following more posters and Soviet propaganda, and deni- my high position and fulfill my profes- than three months of dithering by the grates the idea of a separate Ukrainian sional obligations under the leadership of renewed Orange government, Ukraine’s nation and the need for Ukrainian inde- ‘the red commissar’ who was appointed Cabinet of Ministers decided to retain pendence. as a result of the machinations of their Olha Ginzburg, a vocal denier of the Ms. Ginzburg published this book list- party.” Holodomor and an active member of the ing the State Committee on Archives and “I cannot allow myself to personally Communist Party, as director general of other governmental archival institutions ruin the work that my colleagues, my the State Committee on Archives of as the publication’s issuing bodies, which predecessor, and I spent years creating,” Ukraine. It also moved on March 26 to is a violation of a Ukrainian law that does Dr. Boriak emphasized. “I cannot sit idly accept the resignation of professional not allow government institutions to pro- by and watch the firing of professional archivist Hennadii Boriak, the first deputy mote party agendas. and honorable people from the state general of the archival system, who had Reflecting her position as an official in archives. I do not have the professional or been demoted from the director’s position the Communist Party, Ms. Ginzburg has moral right to preside over the politiciza- in September 2006 in order to make room introduced ideologically driven personnel tion, or more accurately, the for Ms. Ginzburg. policies. She has forced a number of pro- ‘Bolshevization’ of the archives and the Ms. Ginzburg was appointed director fessional archivists out of the archival de-professionalization of its staff.” general of the archives in August 2006 by central administration, replacing them “The only consolation that I can take then Vice Prime Minister for with friends and fellow Communist Party from all of this is that the staff at the Humanitarian Affairs Dmytro Tabachnyk members with little or no archival experi- Cabinet of Ministers signaled their sym- under the government of Prime Minister ence, and she has used government perks pathy with my principled position by A page from the book marking the Viktor Yanukovych. She was given one of to reward supporters. accepting my resignation as written with- 90th anniversary of the Ukrainian the posts promised the Communist Party In an effort to gain control over region- out attempting to turn it into a simple, Soviet Socialist Republic, which was for its support of the anti-Orange coalition al and oblast archives, she has apparently generic letter,” Dr. Boriak pointed out. published by the State Committee on headed by the Party of the Regions. She begun appointing loyal cadres to manage- “They even offered me several high-rank- Archives of Ukraine. had been a Communist deputy in two ses- rial posts throughout the country. She is ing positions within the Secretariat of the sions of Parliament, but had failed to be attempting to take control of archival Cabinet of Ministers, but I am an archivist sion by those involved in Ukrainian stud- re-elected in 2006 and was unemployed. finances at the local level to bring these and not a bureaucrat, and I didn’t feel that ies worldwide. In 1981 Ms. Ginzburg received a repositories under her supervision. I was qualified for the positions that were degree in mechanical engineering from Finally, she has hired a group of young proposed.” Harvard weighs in the Sumy branch of the Kharkiv Communists to redesign the archival “Finally, it pains me to watch the fate “I don’t believe that anyone should be Polytechnic Institute, with a specialization administration’s website, which in recent of the archives being determined on the barred from a particular profession in the technology of heavy machine con- years had become a prime source of infor- altar of political expediency,” Dr. Boriak because of his or her political affiliation,” struction. After graduation she progressed mation on the Holodomor and Ukrainian concluded. “My successor was given and said Serhii Plokhii, Mykhailo Hrushevsky to the posts of secretary of the local strivings for nationhood. maintains her post as a result of a political Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard branch of the Communist Party and assis- deal undertaken by democratic politicians University, on April 8. “At the same time, tant to the director of the Konotop Steel Boriak explains to get Communist votes to further their I strongly feel that appointments should Mill. Her former co-worker Dr. Boriak, who own agendas.” be based solely on the competence of the After being appointed director general submitted his resignation on March 20, individual. This principle has been pro- of the state archives, Ms. Ginzburg imme- Ginzburg reacts said, “My colleagues and I regarded it as claimed more than once by the current diately began implementing her party’s absolutely necessary to block the new Ms. Ginzburg reacted to Mr. Boriak’s government which, unfortunately, doesn’t agenda of suppressing information about director’s attempts to sabotage the gather- resignation and charges by resorting to practice what it preaches.” Communist repressions and atrocities, and ing of archival material on the slander and attempting to blame him for “What we see today in the archival glorifying the Soviet way of life. At a time Holodomor, the register of memorial col- various problems. In her statement, posted administration,” Dr. Plokhii continued, “is when Ukraine has been moving toward lections, the Ukrainian Revolution, politi- on the website of the State Committee on an incompetent official put there for polit- integration with the European community, cal repressions, totalitarianism, the UPA Archives of Ukraine on April 2, she takes ical reasons. She is trying to gain control she has indicated an unwillingness to [Ukrainian Insurgent Army] and other credit for programs that had been planned of the archives by forcing professionals to work with the International Council on topics that were taboo to the Communists. long before she took over and tries to jus- leave the institution altogether. She also Archives and has concentrated her efforts And we felt it necessary to ignore her tify her actions with standard Communist tries to undo the work of her predecessors on strengthening Ukraine’s archival ties to order forbidding us to put together an rhetoric. by closing access to the archival materi- the Commonwealth of Independent States exhibit of copies of documents on the Both the presidential administration of als, which were finally open to (CIS). 1932-1933 Holodomor requested by Viktor Yushchenko and the government of researchers after decades of limited access Ms. Ginzburg has spoken vehemently Ukraine’s representative to the European Yulia Tymoshenko have been blaming and restrictions. I do not think that histori- about severely restricting access to the Union, which was to be displayed in the each other for Ms. Ginzburg’s ongoing ans can afford to be silent in this situa- historical documents of the Communist Parliament of Europe.” survival in office. In early January Ms. tion.” Party by once again making them secret “To have to keep doing this under a Ginzburg was allowed to dodge a sum- “For me, the saddest thing about this and has attempted to take the Ukrainian democratic Ukrainian government makes mons to appear before the Cabinet of archival debacle,” said Lubomyr Hajda, archival system’s public information por- no sense, and I refuse to accept any fur- Ministers, during which she would have associate director of the Harvard tal offline. She also halted the ongoing ther responsibility for what she does,” Dr. had to submit her resignation. She osten- Ukrainian Research Institute, who had publication of guides to the holdings of Boriak wrote in a letter to colleagues sibly became ill just before the meeting just returned from Ukraine, where he various state archives and effectively dated March 25. and proceeded to take a month’s leave for observed the scandal first-hand, “is what blocked the continued publication of the In announcing his resignation Dr. medical reasons. Current Ukrainian regu- it says about a Ukrainian government that journal Arkhivy Ukrayiny (Archives of Boriak said, “I can no longer take part in lations do not allow the removal of gov- calls itself democratic, Euro-centric and Ukraine), which had been published since this hypocritical farce that has been play- ernment personnel while they are on med- patriotic. The rallying cries from the 1947. ing itself out in the archival arena in the ical leave. maidan stage, the oratory of President After taking over as director, she Although President Yushchenko called Yushchenko, the slogans proclaimed by appointed herself editor-in-chief of the Ms. Ginzburg’s appointment “absurd” Our Ukraine and the principles proudly journal and proceeded to censor the edi- when it was first announced, he had not enunciated in the ‘Ukrainian tion then slated to go to press. She deleted moved to remove her until the mess at the Breakthrough’ program of the Yulia obituaries on former Soviet political pris- archival administration provided him with Tymoshenko Bloc – all are shown to be oner Nadia Svitlychna and Omeljan a weapon against the Tymoshenko gov- sham when faced with even short-term Pritsak, the founding director of the ernment in the context of personnel poli- political advantage.” Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute cies. At the same time it appears Prime “The importance of custody over (HURI) and first foreign full member of Minister Tymoshenko has sought Ukraine’s precious documentary legacy of Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences, Communist Party votes to make up for the its history and culture has been sacrificed as well as an article on Hnat Khotkevych, lack of support by her coalition partners. to cynical expediency. And it is even sad- a classic writer of Ukrainian literature and Ms. Ginzburg’s survival in office seems to der that this manipulation has at its root a cultural activist branded by the be the price for this Communist support. not a struggle with ideological adver- Communists as an “enemy of the nation.” A high-ranking member of the Cabinet saries, but among purported allies in a All three articles had already formatted who did not wish to be identified indicat- democratic, nationally conscious coali- for print. ed that Ms. Ginzburg “will remain, and tion,” Dr. Hajda added. Since Ms. Ginzburg has taken office, for a long time.” Dr. Roman Procyk, executive director her only major contribution to its publica- There is a growing consensus among of the Ukrainian Studies Fund said, tions occurred just before the most recent scholars and the public that the continued “Keeping a Communist in such a key parliamentary elections, when she used politicization of the archival administra- position as national archivist the Ukrainian her position in the archival administration tion is an abuse that undermines the very government is short-circuiting the restora- to produce in Russian a full-color coffee- critical forging of a national historical nar- tion of fundamental historic memory and table volume commemorating the 90th rative unencumbered by Soviet falsifica- preventing the development of a Ukrainian anniversary of the Ukrainian Soviet Dr. Hennadii Boriak, who resigned in tions. Indeed, the crisis at the archives has Socialist Republic. The lavishly illustrated protest from Ukraine’s state archives. been the subject of much online discus- (Continued on page 27) 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 No. 15

IN THE PRESS THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY NATO and Ukraine Bucharest summit of NATO, Remembering the sage saying that “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over,” last week’s edi- torial stopped short of commenting on the NATO summit in Bucharest. After all, Vladimir Putin’s successor when last week’s issue of The Weekly went to press, there was still a day left of “NATO’s Fudges; Compromises on the NATO meeting – never mind that the situation looked bleak at the time, with fall of the Berlin Wall. …A little more all observers saying that Ukraine and Georgia would be passed over and most Afghanistan and expansion of the than a decade later, the movement con- certainly would not be granted Membership Action Plans. alliance avoid a rupture but won’t win tinues. Proving that the first event was To quote another saying, “What a difference a day makes.” any wars,” editorial, The Washington not a mere moment of grace, enigmatic On the last day of the summit, April 4, we learned there was good news indeed Post, April 6: and ephemeral, the trend continued with from Bucharest: Ukraine and Georgia may not have been granted MAPs, but they the ‘Rose Revolution’ in Georgia and the received the alliance’s commitment that they will become members of NATO. It was a “The NATO alliance has a way of ‘Orange Revolution’ in Ukraine at the Solomonic decision on the part of NATO. And, lest anyone doubt the meaning of that patching its internal quarrels by doing beginning of the 21st century, marking in commitment, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer stated: “These coun- just enough to avoid schism or collapse. these countries the triumph of the same tries will become members of NATO, there can be no misunderstanding of that.” Last week’s summit meeting in democratic ideas. … Thus, what was at first glance seen as a defeat for the two former Soviet Bucharest was no exception. “The reason we are writing to you, republics was transformed into a clear victory. And it was an unprecedented “… requests by the newly democratic Madame Chancellor and Mr. President, is move as, for the first time in its history, NATO assured candidates of member- states of Ukraine and Georgia for mem- because the most important NATO sum- ship even before they had been granted MAPs. bership action plans, bureaucratic vehi- mit since the end of the Cold War is now Everyone, of course, recalls how adamantly Russia opposed MAPs for cles for guiding countries into the beginning in Bucharest, and we would Ukraine and Georgia, and how President Vladimir Putin warned that he would Western fold, were deferred at the insis- like you to remember the hundreds of not attend the Bucharest meeting – including a session of the NATO-Russia tence of Germany and France. The thousands of students, peasants and blue- Council – if they were granted. And, Russian leaders threatened both Ukraine Europeans were intimidated by the blus- collar workers massed in the streets of and Georgia if they moved toward NATO; the threats ranged from targeting mis- ter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Tbilisi and Kiev [sic] in 2003 and 2004, siles to dismembering the two states. who has sought to turn Ukraine and waving European, French, German, Russia was assisted in its game by the likes of Germany and France, who – not Georgia into Kremlin colonies and who English and American flags. Those wanting to annoy Russia – by their actions in Bucharest gave Russia a veto over declared that their NATO membership unarmed men and women were the wor- MAPs for Ukraine and Georgia. However, all the member-states of the alliance later would cross a ‘red line.’ Yet a strong if thy heirs of Vaclav Havel and Lech signed on to a summit declaration that included these words: “We agreed today that belated push by President [George W.] Walesa, pastors from East Germany, and these countries will become members of NATO.” Furthermore, the declaration noted, Bush produced at least a rhetorical cross- Hungarian and Romanian intellectuals. “Today we make clear that we support these countries’ applications for MAPs.” ing of that line: NATO’s communiqué They were the true incarnation of In short, Russia might have won on a technicality – the MAPs were not grant- said that ‘we agreed today that these Europe. And from Paris or Berlin, we ed – but it lost politically. (One Russian commentator said: “NATO very countries will become members of were hardly able to grasp the thrilling humanely permitted [Putin] to save face, politely postponing membership for NATO’ and profoundly revolutionary aspect of Ukraine and Georgia until the post-Putin era.”) “With luck that statement will become this great adventure of our time. Mr. Putin reacted badly, and aggressively. According to various sources he lost a mandate that will bolster Mr. Bush’s “Today they are asking to be associat- his temper at the NATO-Russia Council meeting and said Russia would work to legacy as a president who oversaw, and ed with the organization that has assured break up Ukraine if it joined NATO. An unidentified foreign delegate said Mr. pushed for, the democratization of south- the security of our democracies for near- Putin told the U.S. president: “You understand, George, that Ukraine is not even eastern Europe. But it’s unfortunate that ly 60 years. In whose name should we a state.” The anger was followed by more menacing rumblings from other the president chose to prioritize that refuse them? Who will dare to take Russian officials in the days immediately after the NATO summit. cause behind winning NATO’s support responsibility for slamming the door in Such threats are nothing new, but they are all the more reason that Ukraine for missile defense – which was the main their faces at this decisive moment in needs to join NATO. As noted by former President Leonid Kravchuk: “Today concession made by allied governments their history and in ours? only NATO can create a European system of security for Ukraine.” to the outgoing president. …” “In Bucharest, …we will need to know if the democratic West will live up “A Robust Alliance,” editorial, The to its values of freedom and tolerance, Wall Street Journal, April 2: supporting its natural allies and extend- ing a hand to those who, in Europe or on April George W. Bush is enjoying a week in its borders, fervently celebrate its con- Turning the pages back... the half of Europe that welcomes him stituent ideals. To deny the MAP (the without clenched teeth. But the President Membership Action Plan: not member- had better be ready to spoil the valedicto- ship in NATO, but nonetheless the begin- 17 ning of a reversible process that could ry tour with tough diplomacy, particular- Twenty years ago the Ukrainian community in the diaspora bring membership within 10 or 15 years) was preparing for yearlong events that Ukrainians in their ly over NATO, or leave unfinished busi- 1988 ness for the next administration. … to Ukraine and to Georgia would be a native land could not openly celebrate – the Millennium of tragic error. Is the world so favorable to Christianity in Ukraine. “In Kiev [sic] yesterday, Mr. Bush said that ‘I strongly believe that Ukraine us today that we can give up and refuse To help explain the historical roots of this momentous event to open our arms to the rare countries and why it is a Ukrainian event and not Russian, Dr. Bohdan F. Kortschmaryk expounded and Georgia should be given MAPs,’ and promised that Russia ‘will not have a who are willing to risk following our on two major principles: first, the historical fact that Kyivan-Ruce (using Geoffrey political model? Chaucer’s spelling of Ruce to avoid confusion and being identified as part of Russia) was veto.’ “The current signals suggest other- “…Certain governments scoff at sup- not the cradle of three Slavic brethren nations; and second, that the commencement of porting the young democracies of Muscovite-Russian national identity is rooted exclusively in the principality of Muscovy, wise. After meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow on March 8, German Ukraine and Georgia, when they do not whose true founder was the son of Alexander Nevsky, Daniel (1263-1303), who ruled openly oppose this simple but oh so sym- almost three centuries after Kyiv and Ruce-Ukraine formally adopted Christianity. Chancellor Angela Merkel hardened her opposition to opening NATO’s door to bolic gesture, because of their fear of rub- Dr. Kortschmaryk noted that “…the English-language edition of ‘Outline History of bing Russia the wrong way, a fear reiter- the USSR,’ published in Moscow in 1960, clearly and unequivocally states that ‘the Ukraine and Georgia. About 10 other member-states took cover behind her. ated nearly to obsession. This opposition, Russian nation began to take form in the 17th century.’” Dr. Kortschmaryk also contend- if it is confirmed, would be a terrible ed that “Moscow, until the creation of the principality of Muscovy, had no significant Ukraine is too divided over NATO, goes their argument, and Georgia’s democracy moral failure. It would also be a political political, let alone cultural-religious, role in Eastern Europe.” error multiplied by a grave error of judge- too unsettled by last winter’s street riots “Muscovite Christianity began to separate from that of Kyiv only in the first half of ment and strategic miscalculation. and early elections. And why – the real the 14th century, after Constantinople authorities tendentiously relocated the historically “we are convinced that a refusal reason – annoy Russia? … traditional Kyivan Metropolitan See to Moscow in 1326,” he added. would send a disastrous signal to the new “A rebuff in Bucharest… would be Other facts cited by Dr. Kortschmaryk included that, when Grand Prince czars of nationalist, capitalist Russia. It dangerous for Ukraine and Georgia, for “Volodymyr the Great, who is recognized by Ukrainian Churches as an apostle- would show them that we are weak, fee- NATO and for Europe as a whole. It’s saint, with the aid of clergy from Kyivan Ruce-Ukraine, Bulgaria and Greece in 988 ble, that Georgia and the [sic] Ukraine also morally wrong; these countries are conducted the official Christianization of Kyivan Ruce-Ukraine, neither Moscow, are lands to conquer and that we are pre- freely asking to be given a chance. …” nor Russia, nor all the more a Russian nation, as such existed.” pared to sacrifice them on the altar of Additionally, the Baltic tribe of Galindians, who occupied the Moscow River basin their renewed imperial ambitions. …if at the time – the majority of whom were sun-worshipping pagans – showed no incli- “Nouveau NATO,” open letter by we yield to Vladimir Putin, if we sacri- nation toward adopting Ruce-Ukrainian culture or spirituality. philosopher Andre Glucksmann and fice our principles to him, if we withdraw The cradle of “the Muscovite nation,” concluded Dr. Kortschmaryk, “was not Kyivan philosopher and writer Bernard-Henri without trying anything, we will rein- Ruce, but the Mongol-Tatar empire with which the Muscovite rulers fostered intimate Lévy to French President Nicolas force the most aggressive sort of nation- cooperation and whose political principles they absorbed and made their own.” Sarkozy and German Chancellor alism in Moscow. …” Attesting to the might of Kyivan Ruce in the 11th century, Bishop Gautier Angela Merkel, released by the New Saveraux (who as head of the French royal delegation traveled to Kyiv to ask for the York Times Syndicate, posted on April “Why Russia Holds ‘Elections,’ ” hand of Anna, daughter of Prince Yaroslav the Wise) wrote in 1048, “This land is 2 on The New Republic: op-ed column by Anne Applebaum, more unified, happier, stronger and more civilized than France herself.” The Washington Post, March 3: “Nearly 20 years ago, we enthusiasti- Source: “It was Ruce-Ukraine, and not Russia, that was Christianized in 988,” by Dr. cally witnessed the most extraordinary Bohdan F. Kortschmaryk, The Ukrainian Weekly, April 17, 1988. event of the end of the 20th century: the (Continued on page 27) No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 7

Faces and Places by Myron B. Kuropas by Andrew Sorokowski What ever happened to human rights? The Moscow vector It is striking that one of the principal fac- accounts of the treatment of detainees at It couldn’t have been more wonderful. Viktor Dudarev inaugurates a plan, tors in the Ukrainian revival of the 1960s Guantanamo, anyone who followed the An American president in Kyiv paying “Operation Zhukov,” to return all of and 1970s – which led to independence in plight of Ukrainian dissidents in Soviet homage to the Holodomor Memorial Kazakhstan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, 1991 – was human rights. Human rights, prisons and labor camps cannot help notice honoring the 10 million Ukrainians Armenia and the eastern half of Ukraine after all, are chiefly concerned with the similarities. starved to death by order of Joseph to Russian rule. “The Zhukov plan made individual. When we think of freedom of One might object that the Soviet dissi- Stalin. A first for the Ukrainian people! excellent strategic, political and econom- conscience and expression, or freedom dents were honorable idealists struggling Another first. An American president ic sense,” one reads. “For Russia it from arbitrary arrest, search and seizure, for the good cause of freedom and inde- fighting to admit Ukraine into NATO, meant securing more defensible borders, we usually think of the individual. The pendence, while the inmates of tearing the Ukrainian people from the reclaiming vast regions rich in natural Ukrainian movement was about the rights Guantanamo are terrorists fighting for the tyrannical claws of a revitalized Russian resources and heavy industry, and bring- of a group, namely, the nation. bad cause of a Muslim theocracy. But the imperialist bear. “NATO membership ing tens of millions of ethnic Russians Nevertheless, the rights to be openly label of “terrorist” is as easily applied to must remain open to all of Europe’s back under the Kremlin’s authority and Ukrainian, to speak and write in the the innocent prey of a Pakistani bounty- democracies,” declared President George protection. In the long run, it would mark Ukrainian language, to worship as hunter as that of “fascist,” “spy” or “agent W. Bush, adding that “Ukraine is the the beginning of a grand effort to reclaim Ukrainian Catholics or Ukrainian of imperialism” was tagged to independ- only non-NATO nation supporting every Russia’s rightful place as one of the Orthodox, were generally conceived of as ent-minded individuals in the USSR. NATO mission, from Lebanon and world’s great powers, as an imperial individual. In any country under the rule of law, no Kosovo to Iraq and Afghanistan.” Not nation whose strength would someday The great campaigns in the diaspora one is a criminal until proved guilty in a surprisingly, President Vladimir Putin, a again rival that of the United States. In were for the release of individual dissi- court of law. As human beings, detainees former KGB agent who uses fuel sup- the short term, crushing the most suc- cessful of the new democracies sur- dents facing the might of the Soviet state: are entitled to the presumption of inno- plies as a bludgeon, opposes the plan. rounding Russia was vital to Dudarev’s people like Valentyn Moroz, Lev cence, humane treatment and, if charged, a Despite a supposedly America-friend- own political survival. For now, a major- Lukianenko and Vasyl Stus. These cam- fair trial. Torture, whether in-house or out- ly president, France, a nation that can paigns enjoyed the general support of ity of Russia’s citizens supported his sourced, is out of the question. usually be counted on to become weak in Americans, a nation dedicated to individ- authoritarian rule, but there were signs of At the same time, there is an erosion of the knees when the going gets tough, ual liberty, especially under the leadership rising discontent – discontent he blamed our own civil liberties, as we are asked to also objects to NATO membership for of a president, Jimmy Carter, who made on the democratic examples set by its submit to governmental monitoring of our Ukraine. “We are opposed to the entry of human rights a cornerstone of his foreign one-time subject peoples.” communications. The reason given is secu- Georgia and Ukraine because we think policy. that is not a good answer to the balance Before initiating a blitzkrieg type In advocating human rights for rity from foreign attack. To students of the invasion of the nations and territories he former Soviet Union this, too, will sound of power within Europe and between Ukrainians, both the dissidents and their Europe and Russia, ” said the French had in mind, President Dudarev’s plans supporters in the diaspora appealed to uni- familiar. Every authoritarian regime cites included the murder of America’s presi- foreign threats – be they “capitalist encir- prime minister. Right. It was France, you versal values. Human rights are nothing if will recall, that objected to having mis- dent, as well as the intelligence chiefs of not global. We appealed to documents like clement,” Communist subversion or terror- major Western powers with HYDRA, a ism – as the rationale for indefinitely sus- siles aimed at Russia on its soil during the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human the Reagan administration. It was also chemical developed by a German scien- Rights and the 1966 United Nations pending civil liberties. As we begin to imi- tist that attacked the personal DNA of tate Soviet behavior, one wonders whether during the Reagan administration that Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In France refused to allow American jets to each victim. There was no antidote, and we really won the Cold War. supporting Ukrainian dissidents we advo- fly over on their way to bomb Libya in the personalized poison could not be But the decline of human rights and cated the same rights for dissidents around the wake of the 1986 Libyan-planned detected until it was too late. Death was freedoms cannot be simply blamed on the world, regardless of their opinions. bombing of a West German disco which swift and painful, a perfect Russian tool. “conservatives,” or ascribed exclusively to Those who worked through Amnesty killed two American servicemen. Not to Fighting to short-circuit OPERATION the government. Ironically, it sometimes International’s prisoner-of-conscience sup- be outdone, Germany was also spooked ZHUKOV in Mr. Ludlum’s book is Lt. manifests itself at universities, those oases port groups maintained a balance among by Mr. Putin’s posturing. Col. Jon Smith, M.D., a trained under- victims of different political systems. of the free exchange of ideas, in the brazen Does Mr. Putin really want to re-estab- cover agent. Some of the plot takes place in Kyiv, Poltava and Chernihiv, and Thus, we found ourselves supporting intolerance of the Left and the craven lish the Russian Empire on the Soviet involves disloyal ethnic Russian officers Marxists and Communists who no doubt acquiescence of administrators. model? The late Robert Ludlum, author of in the Ukrainian army. It’s all fiction, of looked with contempt on causes like Yesterday’s free-speech activists have over 25 spy thrillers including “The Bourne course, but oddly prescient. If Ludlum Ukrainian nationalism. But we believed become today’s political censors. Identity” and “The Holcroft Covenant,” can envisage such a scenario, is it possi- that human rights belonged to everybody. Why have the practice and advocacy of actually conceived such a scenario in the ble that French and German intelligence A cynic might have said that our enthu- human rights faltered? Why has the enthu- 2005 book “The Moscow Vector.” agencies can as well? Even if they can, siasm for global human rights would evap- siasm of the 1970s waned? One reason The plot is simple. Russian President orate the minute we achieved Ukrainian may be that intellectuals can no longer “it is unlikely that they would risk a national independence. And a cynic would articulate the origins and basis of these wider war by intervening,” President have been largely correct. Who among us rights. It was not always so. Dudarev says in “The Moscow Vector.” still talks about human rights? So was all In the Middle Ages, rights were derived Vector here is defined as an organism that high-minded rhetoric just a tactic to from a natural law superior to the dictates that carries disease-causing microorgan- mobilize world opinion behind our particu- of kings. The signers of the U.S. isms from one host to another. The title lar agenda? Declaration of Independence appealed to is especially appropriate and could be It’s not as if the problem has gone away. “the laws of nature and of nature’s God.” generally applied to Russian obtrusions While Ukraine has greatly improved its For them, it was a “self-evident” truth that in Ukraine over the centuries. human rights record, its northern neighbors all individuals are “endowed by their Have Ukraine’s chances for NATO are another story. In dealing with dissent, Creator” with certain unalienable rights. membership evaporated forever? Not necessarily. Both the U.S. House Russia and Belarus have reverted to the The French Declaration of the Rights of of Representatives and the Senate have authoritarian Soviet legacy. The former Man and of Citizens characterized its enu- passed resolutions supporting Soviet republics of Central Asia are even merated rights as “sacred.” The belief in a Membership Action Plans (MAPs) for worse. Nearly every week persecution of natural law of divine origin meant that religious believers, whether Christian or Ukraine and Georgia to eventually join human rights were universal. NATO. According to U.S. National Muslim, is reported in places like Today the rejection of this principle Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The scene in Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, the undercuts the claim to universal validity. matter will be brought up at the December the Middle East and South Asia is grimmer Post-modern intellectuals’ aversion to yet. And while the horrors of military meeting of NATO foreign ministers in over-arching philosophies, their reluctance regimes in Chile and Argentina are past, December. As December nears, we can to privilege the ideas of “dead white male” the nightmare of genocide in Africa contin- plan on Russian-sponsored anti-NATO Greek philosophers or medieval jurists, ues. Nor must we forget prisoners of con- protests to continue in Ukraine. and their refusal to make value judgments science in the remaining Communist states about competing cultures or even political of China, North Korea, Cuba and Vietnam. Myron Kuropas’s e-mail address is Unfortunately, our own country is systems, renders them incapable of [email protected]. showing signs of human-rights deteriora- defending the very principles on which tion. It begins, naturally enough, when we their own survival depends. And that, it seems, is what happened to engage with regimes and cultures to which The Ukrainian Weekly welcomes letters to the editor and commentaries on a variety of topics of human rights. human rights are utterly foreign. Waging concern to the Ukrainian American and Ukrainian Canadian communities. Opinions expressed war against terrorists who flout the ordi- by columnists, commentators and letter-writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the nary rules of humanity has led to outrages Andrew Sorokowski can be reached at opinions of either The Weekly editorial staff or its publisher, the Ukrainian National Association. like Abu Ghraib. Reading newspaper [email protected]. 8 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 No. 15 COMMENTARY: On the verdict in the Gongadze murder trial by J.V. Koshiw fessions of the three policemen. Since ers would also be brought to justice. Three April 4, 2008 2005 these confessions have been avail- days later, one of the alleged organizers, the able on video and transcript on the former Minister of Internal Affairs Yuri On March 15, 2008, the Appeal Court Internet (www.ord-ua.com). Comparison Kravchenko, committed suicide. for the city of Kyiv found three police- of the verdict with the detailed presenta- Following this dreadful event, President men guilty of the kidnapping and killing tion of the Gongadze case by prosecution Yushchenko backed away from putting on of the journalist Heorhii Gongadze on investigator Roman Shubin, which trial the two chief suspects in organizing September 16-17, 2000. Mykola appeared on Dec. 23, 2005, in the Kyiv Gongadze’s kidnapping, former President Protasov received 13 years in prison, newspaper Sogodnya, provides further Kuchma and the head of the president’s while Valery Kostenko and Oleksandr office, Volodymyr Lytvyn. Popovych got 12 years each. The verdict evidence that the court stretched out the proceedings. Assuming that the court was The president’s office now hoped that accused their police commander, Oleksii the longer the verdict was postponed, the Pukach, of directing the murder, but no not incompetent, one can assume that political pressure came from President more irrelevant the case would become, sentence was passed on him due to his and that the public would forget that the disappearance. This was Ukraine’s most Yushchenko’s office to prolong the trial as long as possible. organizers of the crime were not on trial. controversial unlawful killing, as no less Judging from the minimal coverage of the On March 1, 2005, President than President Leonid Kuchma is verdict in Ukraine’s mass media, the pres- accused of ordering the kidnapping of Yushchenko, announcing the arrest of the the journalist that became a murder. three policemen, promised that the organiz- (Continued on page 27) This trial could not take place while Mr. Kuchma was president of Ukraine. After Gongadze’s disappearance, President Heorhii Gongadze LETTER TO THE EDITOR Kuchma, along with the police and prose- cution service, created a web of lies about The arrest took place while President century – communism and genocide, which what happened to Gongadze, including Democratic Party ad together slaughtered half its population in that he had run away, the headless corpse Kuchma was on a state visit to South less than a quarter of a century. wasn’t his, and that they had organized America. On the president’s return, a offensive to Ukrainians I call on the DSCC to withdraw this Ukraine’s biggest ever search for a miss- judge released Mr. Pukach from jail. commercial and to post in its place a formal ing person. The only attempt during Mr. Justice for Gongadze had to wait until Dear Editor: apology to all Americans and Ukrainian Kuchma’s tenure in office to prosecute Mr. after the Orange Revolution. On January Americans for this very stupid misstep Pukach took place on October 22, 2003, 27, 2005, four days after the inauguration As an American, I am deeply disturbed together with a statement of support for when the police commander was arrested. of President Yushchenko, the policemen, by a recent posting on YouTube of a video whose identity was known earlier by the criticizing a U.S. senatorial candidate for Ukraine’s struggle for democracy and a free Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the market economy. Contact the DSCC in J.V. Koshiw is a research associate at supporting Ukraine. Procurator General’s Office, confessed to As a Ukrainian American who has often Washington: telephone, 202-224-2447; fax, the Institute for Russian, European and taking part in the kidnapping and killing of 202-969-0354; e-mail, [email protected] Eurasian Studies, George Washington supported Democratic Party principles and Gongadze. Mr. Pukach, meanwhile, had candidates, I am dismayed that this offen- I call on Sens. Barack Obama and University, and is author of books on the disappeared just before President Hillary Clinton to personally refute this killing of Gongadze: Gongadze, ubiystvo sive video is also featured today as the cen- Yushchenko’s inauguration. terpiece of the home page of the racist characterization of Ukraine and to kotoroye izmenilo Ukrainu, Izdatelstvo Since the policemen had confessed, issue a clarifying statement of support for “Prava cheloveka”, Moskva, 2005, pp Democratic Senatorial Campaign why did it take three years to reach a ver- Committee, the official organ of the Ukraine’s struggle for democracy and a free 232; Obezholovlenyi, ubyvstvo zhurnal- dict? The verdict given by the judge market economy. Contact Sen. Obama at ista, Sobor, Kyiv 2004, pp 292; Beheaded, Democratic Party for senatorial campaigns. Irena Hryhoryeva on March 15, 2008, To see it, go to www.dscc.org. his office at 713 Hart Senate Office The killing of a journalist, Artemia Press was based almost exclusively on the con- Building, Washington, DC 20510; tele- Ltd, Reading 2003, pp. 280. The video ridicules Bob Schaffer, a for- mer member of Congress who is now run- phone 202-224-2854; fax, 202-228-4260; ning for Senate from Colorado on the e-mail via his website, http://my.barakoba- Republican ticket. Mr. Schaffer is part ma.com/page/s/mediacontact. Contact Sen. Ukrainian and has been very supportive of Clinton at her campaign headquarters at Ukraine’s struggle against communism and 4420 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA for democracy and a free market economy 22203; telephone, 703-496-2008; fax, 703- – both supposedly laudable goals on both 962-860; e-mail via her website sides of the aisle in the U.S. Senate. http://hillaryclinton.com/ help/contact. This commercial is blatantly both anti- I call on the Democratic candidate Mark Ukrainian and anti-American in its racist Udall to personally refute this racist charac- bias. terization of Ukraine, immediately with- I find it appalling that in 2008, in the draw this commercial and to replace it with United States of America, such cheap an apology to all Americans and Ukrainian racism would be posted by a major political Americans together with a strong statement party’s official senatorial campaign com- of support for Ukraine’s struggle for mittee. democracy and a free market economy. There are myriad nations that have Contact candidate Udall at 1100 Bannock received hundreds, if not thousands of St., Denver, CO 80208; telephone, 303- times as much aid from the U.S. as did 820-2008; fax, 303-893-4078; e-mail via Ukraine. Why has the DSCC not cam- his website, http://www.markudall.com/ paigned against support for any other page/s/contact. nation? Why has the DSCC singled out Mr. Schaffer deserves only our admira- Ukraine for ridicule? tion – and, yes, the thanks of all Americans Either the Democratic Party is anti- – for his hard work in defense of democra- Ukrainian or it believes that Ukrainian cy. Contact Mr. Schaffer at P.O. Box Americans are so inept and impotent that 102135, Denver, CO 80250; telephone, 720-377-1600; e-mail, via his website, they can be abused at will without conse- http://www.bobschaefferforsenate.com. quence. Whatever your other political beliefs, I remind the DSCC that Ukrainian when it comes to his position on Ukraine, Americans are an important voting bloc Mr. Schaffer has it right and the DSCC got that can swing elections in several states, it all wrong. including Ohio, Illinois and possibly even Pennsylvania – states that are crucial to vic- tory by either party in the November elec- Peter Borisow tions. Los Angeles I call on all Americans to condemn this racist attack on a man who is supporting a The letter-writer is president of the nation of 48 million people struggling to Hollywood Trident Foundation based in emerge from the twin curses of the 20th Los Angeles.

THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY Visit our archive on the Internet at: http://www.ukrweekly.com/ No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 9

NEWS AND VIEWS Money and the French and German opposition to Ukraine’s membership in NATO by Stephen Velychenko For those who don’t know, on ures. already know about the millions he paid the September 26, 1918, the Hetman’s Council By 1914 the total Russian state debt was Germans a few years ago and how Gerhard France obviously still has little affection of Ministers promised an advance on the 8.8 trillion gold rubles. The foreign part of Schroeder is now enjoying directorship in a for Ukrainians. Perhaps too many there tsarist coupons for the bonds held in this was 4.229 trillion as of January 1, Russian gas company. What remains to be cannot forget that, thanks to the Central Ukrainian banks before November 3, 1918. 1914, or between 30 percent to 48 percent discovered is whether more money has Rada and its German alliance, and then to The hetman had managed to get Ukraine’s of the total. France, Imperial Russia’s ally, been going from Russian accounts into Symon Petliura, who overthrew Hetman Russian industrialists (PROTOFIS) to put held four-fifths of its debt. Of a foreign French accounts to pay off the old debt. Pavlo Skoropadsky after he had agreed on up the money. But the bondholders never industrial investment of some 2 billion An agreement signed by then Russian repayment of Ukraine’s portion of the received anything thanks to Petliura’s suc- rubles, France furnished nearly a third. Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin on tsarist debt to France – French capitalists cessful offensive. Germany agreed to can- According to the Soviet government at May 26, 1996, said neither Russia nor and industrialists and part of the middle- cel its debts to Russia at Rapallo (1922). the 1922 Genoa Conference, the total exter- France would claim debts accumulated class lost all their money in 1919. Any economic history book has the fig- nal national debt (state and government- before May 1945. Russia also agreed to guaranteed loans) had amounted by the pay France $400 million in eight $50 mil- year 1914 to 6.3 trillion gold rubles. lion semi-annual payments, to put an end to France’s share was 3.786 trillion in credits. financial disagreement between the coun- By 1915 Russian joint-stock companies tries. The payments began in 1997. The The universality of human rights had received 1.94 trillion rubles in foreign French Association of Russian Bond by Oksana Bashuk Hepburn Asper Foundation, interested in keeping investments – of that, France provided 594 Holders (AFPER), which represents about the commemoration of the Jewish issue million rubles. 13,000 French citizens who still own stock Members of the Ukrainian community alive, proposed the Winnipeg scenario. In 1919, as the French government cen- issued by tsarist Russian companies, was in Canada are unsure whether the pro- Recalling the opposition to an exclusive tralized the claims related to French inter- displeased and claimed it covers only gov- posed Canadian Museum of Human treatment of the Jewish Holocaust, the ests in Russia, 1.6 million investors filed ernment, not private, losses. It protested the Rights in Winnipeg will reflect human government sought a “buy-in” from the forms. Furthermore, France centralized agreement, but a court concluded that the rights violations central to their 1.2 mil- Ukrainians and others. The UCC most Russian financial assets at the begin- Russian government had immunity granted lion strong community. The internment National was approached by the founda- ning of the 20th century and approximately by the 1996 bilateral agreement. of Ukrainian Canadians here during tion for support; it was granted with the 40 percent to 45 percent of Russian sover- (http://english.mn.ru/english/issue.php?200 World War I has gained some recognition proviso that Ukrainian human rights vio- eign debts. According to the Office 4-3-20). Has Mr. Putin kindly seen to pay- in recent years, however, the Soviet gov- lations – the internment of Canadians National des Valeurs Mobilières, the ing these people? ernment-created Famine of 1932-1933, and the Famine – be included. amounts invested in tsarist Russian shares The French decision to oppose or Holodomor, which starved some 10 The UCC held that strong representa- and bonds before World War I reached 15 Ukraine’s aspirations toward NATO is par- million Ukrainians as part of an ethnic- tion on various boards and committees of billion to 18 billion francs. ticularly tragic in light of Yulia cleansing policy, had been suppressed by the museum would assure proper treat- The Bolsheviks repudiated all loans in Tymoshenko’s recent political shift from the Kremlin since 1933 and continues to ment. The museum’s Advisory 1918. But what has Vladimir Putin been center-left social-democratic positions, to a be unknown. Committee, created last October, advises doing the last 12 months in France? We center-right Christian- democratic one. She The Ukrainian community is seeking the minister of Canadian Heritage on undoubtedly had Ukraine’s interests at appropriate treatment, but many are won- planning; scope and content; and, on its Stephen Velychenko is an associate of heart hoping her new allies would help the dering whether raising money now and overall budgetary envelope. Comprising the Center for European, Russian and country’s European Union and NATO bids. waiting for inclusion later is the right nine members, it’s the chief decision- Eurasian Studies and a research fellow Perhaps Prime Minister Tymoshenko way to go. The Famine, in particular, is making body. There is neither UCC rep- at the Chair of Ukrainian Studies at the should have offered to pay off the French at issue. Many view it as equal, if not resentation nor any Ukrainian Canadians University of Toronto. bond-holders instead. worse to that perpetrated by the Nazis here. Furthermore, they appear to be against the Jews, and believe that, had absent from other working committees as there been appropriate punishment to the well. There is one UCC representative on Communist crime, Hitler would not have the Advisory Council – a 33-member dared to commit the Nazi atrocities some body more likely to deal with endorse- 10 years later. They say that the time has ments than policy or operations. Asper come for the Famine to take its rightful family members are in leadership roles place as a moral lesson for the entire on all or most of the structures. world: evil begets evil unless justice and Despite under-representation, the reconciliation occur. UCC launched the Holodomor campaign With respect to the Famine, this posi- last December to raise funds. Headed by tion has been underplayed and underval- Winnipeg’s business leader Leo ued by most of the world for much too Ladohowski of Canada Inns, it is his long. Recent calls for the museum to hope that Ukrainian issues will be resist considerations of “body counts” memorialized there. Sen. Raynell make it imperative to have well- Andreychuk is the honorary chair. Before informed, strong representation as such Ukrainian Canadians, or other fair-mind- statements constitute a clear and mali- ed taxpayers, feel comfortable about con- cious undermining of a holocaust of 10 tributing, there are fundamentals that million people and must not be allowed need to be addressed. to stand unchallenged. First, Prime Minister Steven Harper The museum’s price tag is a hefty needs to add Canada to the growing list $265 million, plus $22 million in annual of countries – the United States and operating cost to be borne by donors and Poland included – recognizing the taxpayers. It goes far beyond the $20 Famine as a genocide, a matter which he million given by the Asper Foundation of noticeably failed to do last fall. Winnipeg. Second, citizens of Ukrainian descent The idea of a human rights museum here, and around the world, have a mis- originated some 10 years ago. The sion: to ensure equal treatment of their Jewish community proposed that its genocide victims. Lack of equitable treat- Holocaust become part of the Museum of ment is discriminatory and not an option. War in Ottawa. Canadian veterans Third, Canada has a global reputation objected. The Ukrainian Canadian as a human rights leader. To continue, it Congress (UCC) Ottawa Branch (I was must ensure that a heinous crime like the its president at the time) made represen- Famine is recognized and treated fairly in tations to government and in mainstream the museum. The museum needs to take media seeking “inclusion and equity,” a lead in universal recognition of a past arguing that a Canadian taxpayer-sup- wrong, making the Famine a central tenet ported museum must not be exclusive to in the argument that whitewashing such one group. crimes simply leads to other grotesque The view prevailed. However, the abuses against humanity. If the Canadian Museum of Human Oksana Bashuk Hepburn is the former Rights merely pays tribute to the Famine director of communications of the with a token exhibit, it will make Canada Canadian Human Rights Commission an accessory to the violation of human and a former member of the national rights, an unthinkable perversion, given board of the Ukrainian Canadian the stature of our country in advancing Congress. human rights in the world. 10 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 No. 15

THE NATO SUMMIT IN BUCHAREST Ukraine’s and Georgia’s membership prospects intensely debated by Vladimir Socor Dutch governments also hesitated until Eurasia Daily Monitor the last moment, implicitly underscoring April 4 Germany’s leading role in pushing for a decision to Russia’s liking within NATO. Midway through the NATO summit in Among the many fence-sitters, Britain Bucharest on April 2-4, Germany and argued before and during the summit that France seemed to have blocked the this was “not the right moment” for MAP approval of Membership Action Plans for decisions. “Premature,” Prime Minister Ukraine and Georgia (MAPs). The sum- Gordon Brown opined (The Times, mit representatives had until April 4 to London, April 3). agree on substitute language regarding “NATO to unite around what? Around Ukraine’s and Georgia’s future relation- appeasement?” Georgian President ship with the alliance. The Russian gov- Mikheil Saakashvili asked. ernment continued down to the wire to “Appeasement is seen [in Moscow] as a threaten Georgia and Ukraine with retal- signal that they should act even more iatory actions if they moved toward toughly and they will be even more NATO membership. aggressive and provocative. ... If we get U.S. President George W. Bush tried [a] MAP, the aggressive elements will hard to change the German and French back off. If we don’t get it, they are position at the summit, as he had during going to start all kinds of trouble” the run-up to the event and on his April 1 (Financial Times, March 31). stopover in Kyiv. Arriving in Bucharest, At the summit, Minister of Foreign he declared, “We must make clear that Affairs Davit Bakradze argued that fail- Official Website of Ukraine’s President NATO welcomes the membership aspira- ure to approve the MAPs would signify tions of Georgia and Ukraine and offers an indirect Russian veto to NATO and In Bucharest, President Viktor Yushchenko and George W. Bush. them a clear path forward toward that that a negative decision in the wake of goal. My country’s position is clear: the Russian threats “would strengthen against the MAPs, according to German work out the language of the commu- NATO should welcome Georgia and those aggressive forces in Russia; black- diplomats in attendance (The New York niqué and a formula for revisiting the Ukraine into the Membership Action mail and pressure would grow stronger. Times, April 3). MAP issue at follow-up NATO meetings. Plans” (White House transcript, April 2). … A ‘no’ to Georgia would show those It became clear during the GMF The Germans and French evidently Addressing the U.S.’s German people in the Kremlin that they can influ- forum, however, that the Germans and decided to avoid any appearance of Marshall Fund (GMF) curtain-raising ence NATO decisions” (Rustavi-2 TV, French were unable to hold their own in reconstituting a “Moscow-Berlin-Paris event at the summit, Mr. Bush argued AP, April 2). the debate on the merits. Politically, the Axis” in opposition to the Ukrainian and that approval of the two MAPs would Romanian President Traian Basescu, German and French leaders chose to de- Georgian MAPs. Berlin seemed inclined stimulate the two countries to continue host of the summit, told Russian media escalate the dispute. French President to act as linchpin in such a trio in March, on the path of democracy and reforms forthrightly during the event, “Georgia’s Nicolas Sarkozy, while opposing the coordinating with Moscow and Paris; but and would signal “throughout the region” and Ukraine’s own choice is what counts. MAPs, agreed to “recognize the legitima- Germany stepped back quickly from a (i.e., to Russia) that Ukraine and Georgia If they ask to join NATO, now or in the cy of these two friendly countries to be course that could have compromised the are and will remain independent coun- future, the alliance must agree to this” part of the Atlantic alliance,” albeit with- NATO summit. Paris hesitated to align tries. (ITAR-TASS, Izvestiya, April 3). out a time-frame (Agence France-Presse, publicly with Berlin, although the French Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi’s The April 2 working dinner, where the April 3). German Chancellor Angela Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the government aligned itself with Germany top leaders of the 26-member countries Merkel, who had led the campaign National Security Council sympathized in opposing the Ukrainian and Georgian were to decide on the Georgian and against the MAPs in recent weeks, adopt- with Berlin’s resistance to the Ukrainian MAPs. The announcement added that Ukrainian MAPs, ended inconclusively. ed a low-key tone in the summit discus- and Georgian MAPs. Italy could change its position and sup- The United States, Canada and nine new sions. As the moment of decision port the MAPs if the German govern- member countries spoke in favor; Midway through the summit, Mr. approached at the summit, no member- ment would change its position (La Germany and France were joined by Bush and Ms. Merkel instructed their country would back Moscow’s anti-MAP Repubblica, April 2). The Belgian and Italy, the Benelux countries and Hungary respective national security advisers to agenda directly or even indirectly.

NATO debates on Ukraine and Georgia add clarity about Russia by Vladimir Socor reflect President Nicolas Sarkozy’s view. ... would signal that Georgia and Ukraine Zeitung, Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung Eurasia Daily Monitor U.S. White House Press Secretary Dana are territories up for conquest and that we cited by DDP, April 3). April 4 Perino commented, “The last time we sacrifice them to the resurgent imperial Mr. Steinmeier’s suggestion ignores the checked, Russia did not have a vote in ambitions” (Le Monde, April 2). fact that Russia, not Germany or NATO, NATO Membership Action Plans are, NATO” (The Washington Post, April 2). On the summit’s eve and at its opening, systematically “burdened” and “strained” in essence, technical processes. With the Even the left-leaning French Minister German representatives enriched their the relations over Kosovo. The minister’s Ukrainian and Georgian MAPs delayed, of Foreign Affairs Bernard Kouchner, already large collection of excuses or straight logic would seem to imply that Moscow the alliance must now address a broader whose global humanitarian agenda seems Russia-first arguments for blocking the had some legitimate interest in non-recog- issue of strategic policy regarding the so mismatched with the Quai d’Orsay, Ukrainian and Georgian MAPs. Minister of nition of Kosovo and deserves a conces- position of Ukraine and Georgia in spoke of the need to defer to Russia’s Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier sion for that unrequited interest. The con- Europe and their relationship with NATO great role in Europe as one argument (Social Democrat) called for holding up the cession would, in this case, take the form from this point onward. against the Ukrainian and Georgian MAPs on the following basis: “By recogniz- of holding up the Ukrainian and Georgian Debates during the summit showed the MAPs. Mr. Kouchner’s longtime allies, ing Kosovo we have reached the limit of MAPs. Such a trade-off, Kosovo-for- potential for a revival of traditional the influential pundits Bernard-Henri what is manageable in the relationship with deferred-MAPs, would implicitly draw a European balance-of-power ideas in Berlin Levy and Andre Glucksmann, strongly Russia in our foreign policy. [There is] no dividing line between a NATO zone and a and Paris, involving Russian participation in criticized the official French and German compelling reason for adding a strain on rela- grey zone in Russia’s shadow. Beyond the a “European concert” of equivalent powers. position. In a lengthy open letter to tions with Russia” (Leipziger Volkszeitung issue at hand, such consolation prizes can Such alignments at this stage could only President Sarkozy and German cited by DDP, April 2; Financial Times only encourage Russia to continue function informally and intermittently, out- Chancellor Angela Merkel in Le Monde, Deutschland, April 3). In this view, echoed obstructing Western interests on almost side NATO and only at its expense. It would Messrs. Levy and Glucksmann argued: by other German diplomats, NATO has any issue and extract gratuitous conces- reduce U.S. influence in Eastern Europe. It “To refuse the MAPs to Ukraine and “already burdened its relations with Russia to sions through its tactics. would imply deference to Russian interests Georgia would be a dramatic error. The an extreme degree because of Kosovo. We Ultimately, the German and French gov- in areas in that country’s vicinity, as Ukraine issue at the Bucharest summit is to must reflect on the consequences of piling up ernments could not have been unaware of and Georgia noticed on this occasion. And it acknowledge the course and the will of yet another issue on top of that one” the devastating implications of blocking the would entail German concentration on sovereign nations by integrating them into (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, April 2). MAPs. Nevertheless, Georgian President Eastern Europe along with French concen- our political and military family. This The Social Democrat leader in the Mikheil Saakashvili’s reminder of those tration on the southern Mediterranean rim would not cost a single job or barrel of oil Bundestag, former Defense Minister Peter implications proved timely at the summit: and parallel relations with Russia. to our economy. We do not have to choose Struck, defended Mr. Steinmeier’s view for “Refusal of the Georgian and Ukrainian French Prime Minister Francois Fillon’s between gas supplies and the freedom of “taking into consideration Moscow’s securi- MAPs would signify yielding to Russian April 1 statement rejecting the MAPs sim- our friends. To oppose [the MAPs] would ty interests.” The Christian Democrat chair- blackmail. If NATO bows to Russian threats ply ignored NATO, the United States and be a terrible moral failure, compounded by man of the Bundestag’s Foreign Affairs for the first time in its history, it would be the pro-MAP European allies, speaking a grave strategic miscalculation. We Commission, Ruprecht Polenz, termed the the end of NATO as we know it. And instead about Russia’s interests in a would seem to view Eastern Europe MAPs “premature” and called instead for Europe would end up in a more dangerous European power balance and claiming to through the prism of Moscow. Our refusal avoiding tension with Russia (Berliner situation” (Le Figaro, April 3). No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 11 FOR THE RECORD: Joint Statement of NATO-Ukraine Commission Following is the full text of the Joint Statement issued on April 4 by the meeting Allies… welcomed of the NATO-Ukraine Commission at the level of heads of state and government. Ukraine’s Euro-

1. We, the heads of state and government Atlantic aspira- of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, tions for member- and President [Viktor] Yushchenko of Ukraine met today in Bucharest to discuss ship in NATO. the status and prospects of NATO-Ukraine relations and cooperation, including They agreed that Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations as reflected in its request for a Membership Ukraine will Action Plan (MAP). We reaffirmed the become a member importance of the NATO-Ukraine relation- ship. of NATO. 2. Allies recalled their declaration of yes- terday, in which they welcomed Ukraine’s NATO Euro-Atlantic aspirations for membership Ukraine Distinctive Partnership. President Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de in NATO. They agreed that Ukraine will 4. We reviewed the challenges faced and Hoop Scheffer. become a member of NATO. MAP is the welcomed the progress achieved in the next step for Ukraine on its direct way to implementation of the NATO-Ukraine membership. Allies made clear that they Action Plan and the Intensified Dialogue. equipment and supplies for ISAF. We noted Joint Working Group on Defense Reform. support Ukraine’s application for MAP. Noting the progress achieved by Ukraine in with satisfaction our ongoing naval cooper- 7. We took note of the wide spectrum of Therefore, they will now begin a period of relevant reforms, we underscored the ation in the framework of the alliance’s NATO-Ukraine joint activities, including intensive engagement with Ukraine at a importance of Ukraine’s commitment to Operation Active Endeavor in the Ukraine’s participation in activities of the high political level to address the questions continue to implement political, economic, Mediterranean Sea. Allied heads of state NATO Science for Peace and Security still outstanding pertaining to its MAP defense and security sector reform. We look and government expressed their apprecia- Program. Allies welcomed Ukraine’s com- application. Allies have asked NATO for- forward to the implementation of the tion for Ukraine’s willingness to contribute mitment to implement the PfP [Partnership eign ministers to make a first assessment of actions contained in the Annual Target Plan to the NATO Response Force. Through for Peace] Trust Fund on the destruction of progress at their December 2008 meeting. 2008. Allies remain determined to assist such contributions, Ukraine is demonstrat- surplus stock of munitions and small arms Allied foreign ministers have the authority those efforts through consultations and ing its commitment to help shoulder our and light weapons, NATO-supported to decide on the MAP application of practical cooperation. shared security responsibilities. retraining programs for released military Ukraine. 5. We highly value the substantial contri- 6. Allied heads of state and government personnel and the program for professional 3. Reiterating our commitment for the bution of this partnership to peace and sta- welcomed Ukraine’s progress in reform of development of civilian personnel NATO-Ukraine Distinctive Partnership that bility in the Euro-Atlantic area and beyond. the defense and security sectors and reiterat- employed in security institutions. We look celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, we Ukraine is the only partner that actively ed their continued support for these efforts. forward to the implementation of the Air agreed to further enhance the political dia- supports all NATO-led operations and mis- They encouraged Ukraine to promote fur- Situation Data Exchange Program between logue and practical cooperation between sions. We value our joint efforts to promote ther reforms by implementing relevant poli- Ukraine and NATO as a positive sign of Ukraine and the alliance, which will help regional cooperation including Ukraine’s cies and providing adequate resources. They enhanced cooperation, improved trans- advance Ukraine’s democratic transforma- continued contributions to security in its commended Ukraine on the adoption of its parency and support in the fight against ter- tion, reform goals and fulfillment of its region. Allied heads of state and govern- National Security Strategy and encouraged rorism. international obligations. We recalled our ment welcomed Ukraine’s participation as a Ukraine to continue to implement the 8. Finally, allies welcomed Ukraine’s conviction that Ukraine’s sovereignty, inde- non-NATO contributing nation to ISAF in National Security Sector Review to align increasing efforts to inform its people about pendence and territorial integrity are key Afghanistan, and its readiness to continue Ukraine’s complete security sector more NATO-Ukraine cooperation and the factors for ensuring stability in Europe. We its participation in KFOR in Kosovo and closely with Euro-Atlantic norms and stan- alliance. Underlining the necessity for also agreed that NUC [NATO – Ukraine NATO Training Mission-Iraq. Allied heads dards. Allied heads of state and government Ukraine to dedicate adequate resources to Commission] ambassadors would meet of state and government also welcomed encouraged Ukraine to make use of the full this endeavor, Allies reaffirmed their sup- more regularly in order to deepen the politi- Ukraine’s readiness to work out arrange- potential of NATO-Ukraine partnership port for Ukraine’s public information efforts cal dialogue and to enhance the NATO- ments for the transit through Ukraine of instruments including the NATO-Ukraine throughout the country.

NEWS ANALYSIS: Ukrainians differ on NATO summit results by Pavel Korduban exceeded our expectations,” said Mr. MAP for Ukraine at the summit in Pessimism has apparently been the dom- Eurasia Daily Monitor Yushchenko, adding that this was “a sur- Bucharest. inant mood among Ukrainian experts. prise” to him. The president dismissed a Mr. Yushchenko fired the ambassadors “It was the first time that NATO has Both President Viktor Yushchenko and reminder by the interviewer that opinion to Russia and Germany on April 4, which yielded to pressure from a third country opposition leader and former Prime polls showed overwhelming opposition to prompted suggestions that his real assess- [Russia],” retired Gen. Vadym Hrechaninov Minister Viktor Yanukovych have claimed NATO membership among Ukrainians. ment of the NATO summit results was told a roundtable in Kyiv on April 4. Gen. that the Bucharest NATO summit’s deci- Once Ukrainians had enough informa- more negative than what he said in public. Hrechaninov chairs the Atlantic Council of sion on Ukraine was a “victory.” It was a tion about NATO, they would accept it, he Germany had been the main opponent of a Ukraine, a pro-NATO think-tank. “This victory for Mr. Yushchenko because NATO argued, citing the results of an unnamed MAP for Ukraine, and it is widely believed concession will affect future relations members promised that Ukraine would def- opinion poll in which 95 percent of in Kyiv that Berlin acted under the influ- between Ukraine and NATO,” he predicted. initely be admitted to NATO one day. It Ukrainians said they wanted to have more ence of Moscow. Sociologist Iryna Bekeshkyna of the was a victory for Mr. Yanukovych, whose information about NATO. Messrs. Mr. Yanukovych praised the position of Democratic Initiatives Foundation said she Party of the Regions opposes NATO mem- Yushchenko and Yanukovych agreed earlier France and Germany, addressing a rally of believes that Ukraine failed a test for politi- bership, because the summit did not that Ukraine could join NATO only after a his supporters in Kyiv on April 3. He said cal maturity. She noted that Ukraine had approve a Membership Action Plan (MAP) nationwide referendum on the issue. Mr. that Ukraine should participate in creating failed to reform its courts and had been for Ukraine. Domestic observers and the Yushchenko estimated that such a referen- “a new European security system, which unsuccessful in combating corruption, and media have been considerably less certain dum could be held in two years. should include blocs and neutral states like that the Ukrainian Parliament elected last about these interpretations than the two Mr. Yushchenko believes that a MAP Ukraine,” rather than join NATO. In a year was not functioning. leaders. will be approved for Ukraine at the NATO statement released on April 4, Mr. Den, which is one of the most pro- “This is an exceptional victory for meeting of foreign ministers scheduled for Yanukovych said that NATO’s refusal to Western Ukrainian dailies and is run by the Ukraine,” said President Yushchenko after December. offer a MAP to Ukraine was a victory for wife of former Defense Minister Yevhen it had been reported on April 3 that no Foreign Affairs Minister Volodymyr the opposition. He denounced the govern- Marchuk, offered a negative assessment of MAP would be approved for Ukraine but Ohryzko shared the optimism of his boss. ment for what he described as “attempts to the NATO summit. “The bitter realism of that NATO agreed in principle to admit He said that a decision on a MAP would be drag this country into NATO behind the cit- Bucharest will burden future generations,” Ukraine in the future. Speaking after a a technical issue. “It can be made by for- izens’ backs, without even asking the peo- it predicted. Den suggested that Russia held NATO-Ukraine Commission meeting on eign ministers or even ambassadors who ple’s opinion.” too much sway over Germany and France. April 4, Mr. Yushchenko stressed that “a are accredited [at NATO headquarters] in Communist Party leader Petro Segodnya, a popular pro-opposition prospect of membership” was shown. “This Brussels,” he told Channel 5. Symonenko, who is an opponent of NATO, daily, called NATO’s decision on Ukraine is the essence. You should read all the rest Anatolii Zlenko, a former Ukrainian for- shared Mr. Yanukovych’s view that the President Yushchenko’s “fiasco.” between the lines, which is politics of com- eign affairs minister, held a different view. summit decisions on Ukraine were a victo- Another popular daily, Gazeta po- promise,” he said. He told a roundtable in Kyiv that Ukraine ry for the opposition. He also denounced Kievski, opined that “Germany and France Interviewed on television on April 6, Mr. should not expect a MAP in December, as President Yushchenko for his recent prom- slapped Ukraine in the face.” Yushchenko noted that NATO membership, such decisions are usually taken at NATO ise to increase Ukrainian presence from not a MAP per se, is his government’s goal. summits. The next NATO summit in 2009 three to eight servicemen in the U.S.-led Sources: Channel 5, UT1 TV, Interfax- “The statement by all [NATO] countries will be co-hosted by France and Germany, mission in Afghanistan, and he called for Ukraine, April 3-4; Den, Segodnya, Gazeta that Ukraine will be a NATO member which, he recalled, opposed approving a Mr. Yushchenko’s impeachment. po-Kievski, April 4; Inter TV, April 6. 12 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 No. 15 FOR THE RECORD: The Bucharest summit declaration Following are excerpts of the our goal of a Europe that is whole, free, Bucharest summit declaration issued by and at peace. the heads of state and government partic- 3. We look forward to the 60th ipating in the meeting of the North anniversary summit in 2009, which will Atlantic Council in Bucharest on April 3. underscore the enduring importance of (We draw our readers’ attention especial- the trans-Atlantic link. We continue to ly to item No. 23, which focuses on transform our alliance with new mem- Ukraine and Georgia.) bers; better responses to security chal- lenges, taking into account lessons 1. We, the heads of state and govern- learned; more deployable capabilities; ment of the member-countries of the and new relationships with our partners. North Atlantic Alliance, met today to The summit will provide an opportunity enlarge our alliance and further strength- to further articulate and strengthen the en our ability to confront the existing and alliance’s vision of its role in meeting the emerging 21st century security threats. evolving challenges of the 21st century We reviewed the significant progress we and maintaining the ability to perform have made in recent years to transform the full range of its missions, collectively NATO, agreeing that this is a process that defending our security at home and con- must continue. Recognizing the enduring tributing to stability abroad. ... value of the trans-Atlantic link and of 5. The success of this common effort NATO as the essential forum for security depends greatly on individual commit- NATO consultations between Europe and North ment. We pay tribute to the professional- President Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine and NATO Secretary-General Jaap de America, we reaffirmed our solidarity ism and bravery of the more than 60,000 Hoop Scheffer during their joint press conference on April 4. and cohesion and our commitment to the men and women from allied and other common vision and shared democratic nations who are involved in NATO’s allow extremists and terrorists to regain ment to support the government and peo- values embodied in the Washington missions and operations. We extend our control of Afghanistan or use it as a base ple of Iraq and to assist with the develop- Treaty. The principle of the indivisibility deepest sympathies to the families and for terror that threatens all of our people. ment of Iraqi Security Forces. We have of allied security is fundamental. A loved ones of those who have died or ... responded positively to a request by strong collective defense of our popula- been injured during the course of their ...10. Today’s information environ- Prime Minister Al Maliki to extend the tions, territory and forces is the core pur- duties. Their sacrifices will not be in ment, in particular with regard to our NATO Training Mission Iraq (NTM I) pose of our alliance and remains our vain. operations in Afghanistan and Kosovo, through 2009. ... most important security task. We reiterate 6. Euro-Atlantic and wider interna- underlines the need for appropriate, time- 18. NATO’s ongoing enlargement our faith in the purposes and principles of tional security is closely tied to ly, accurate and responsive communica- process has been an historic success in the United Nations Charter. Afghanistan’s future as a peaceful, demo- tion with local and international audi- advancing stability and cooperation and 2. Today, we have decided to invite cratic state, respectful of human rights ences in relation to NATO’s policies and bringing us closer to our common goal of Albania and Croatia to begin accession and free from the threat of terrorism. For engagement in international operations. a Europe whole and free, united in peace, talks to join our alliance. We congratulate that reason, our U.N.-mandated We welcome the progress made in democracy and common values. NATO’s these countries on this historic achieve- International Security Assistance Force enhancing NATO’s strategic communica- door will remain open to European ment, earned through years of hard work (ISAF) mission, currently comprising 40 tions capability, as demonstrated by the democracies willing and able to assume and a demonstrated commitment to our nations, is our top priority. Working with rapid response Media Operations Center. the responsibilities and obligations of common security and NATO’s shared the Afghans, we have made significant We also welcome the launching at our membership, in accordance with Article values. The accession of these new mem- progress, but we recognize that remain- summit of a new NATO TV channel on 10 of the Washington Treaty. We reiterate bers will strengthen security for all in the ing challenges demand additional efforts. the Internet which will include regular that decisions on enlargement are for Euro Atlantic area, and bring us closer to Neither we nor our Afghan partners will news updates and video reports, in partic- NATO itself to make. ular from the various regions of 19. Our invitation to Albania and Afghanistan. We underscore our commit- Croatia to begin accession talks to join ment to support further improvement of our alliance marks the beginning of a our strategic communications by the time new chapter for the Western Balkans and of our 2009 summit. ... shows the way forward to a future in 15. We condemn in the strongest terms which a stable region is fully integrated A Ukrainian Summer all acts of terrorism, whatever their moti- into Euro-Atlantic institutions and able to Appears May 4, 2008, in The Ukrainian Weekly vation or manifestation. Our nations make a major contribution to internation- remain determined to fight this scourge, al security. individually and collectively, as long as 20. We recognize the hard work and necessary and in accordance with inter- the commitment demonstrated by the for- Travel to Ukraine and learn about your heritage... national law and U.N. principles. mer Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to Terrorists are using a variety of conven- NATO values and alliance operations. Focus on Ukrainian studies, and earn college credit... tional weapons and tactics, including We commend them for their efforts to asymmetric tactics, and may seek to use build a multi-ethnic society. Within the Or relax and enjoy the activities weapons of mass destruction (WMD) to framework of the U.N., many actors have at the ever-popular Soyuzivka... threaten international peace and security. worked hard to resolve the name issue, We attach great importance to the protec- but the alliance has noted with regret that tion of our populations, territories, infra- these talks have not produced a success- How will you enjoy your Ukrainian summer? structure and forces against the conse- ful outcome. Therefore we agreed that an Read our special section for information from those in the quences of terrorist attacks. We will con- invitation to the former Yugoslav tinue to develop and contribute to poli- Republic of Macedonia will be extended know on great destinations and unique activities! cies to prevent and counter proliferation, as soon as a mutually acceptable solution with a view to preventing terrorist access to the name issue has been reached. We EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING DEADLINE: APRIL 14 to, and use of, WMD. We will also con- encourage the negotiations to be resumed tinue to support our program of work to SUBMIT ARTICLES ON UPCOMING SUMMER CAMPS, COURSES, without delay and expect them to be con- develop advanced capabilities to help cluded as soon as possible. WORKSHOPS AND OTHER EVENTS (NOT MORE THAN 250 WORDS, defend against terrorist attacks, including 21. Admitting Albania and Croatia will TYPED AND DOUBLE-SPACED) PLUS PHOTOS. through the continuing development of enhance the alliance’s ability to face the TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A FREE ONE-LINE LISTING IN OUR SUMMER new technologies. We remain committed challenges of today and tomorrow. These EVENTS CALENDAR (INDICATE DATE, TYPE OF EVENT AND PLACE). to strengthening the alliance’s ability to countries have demonstrated a solid com- share information and intelligence on ter- mitment to the basic principles set out in SEND EDITORIAL COPY TO: rorism, especially in support of NATO the Washington Treaty as well as their operations. ... ability, and readiness, to protect freedom 16. We remain deeply concerned by and our shared values by contributing to the continued violence and atrocities in the alliance’s collective defense and full THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY Darfur and call on all parties to cease range of missions. hostilities. NATO remains ready, follow- ... 23. NATO welcomes Ukraine’s and THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY ing consultation with and the agreement Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations for 2200 ROUTE 10, P.O. BOX 280, of the United Nations and the African membership in NATO. We agreed today Union (AU), to support their peacekeep- PARSIPPANY, NJ 07054 that these countries will become mem- ing efforts in the region. At the request of OR E-MAIL IT TO: [email protected] bers of NATO. Both nations have made the African Union, NATO has agreed to valuable contributions to alliance opera- provide support to the AU Mission in FOR ADVERTISING RATES & INFORMATION: tions. We welcome the democratic Somalia and we are prepared to consider reforms in Ukraine and Georgia and look CALL 973-292-9800 (EXT. 3040) OR E-MAIL: [email protected] further requests for support to this mis- forward to free and fair parliamentary sion. ... 17. We reiterate the alliance’s commit- (Continued on page 26) No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 13 FOR THE RECORD: Priorities for U.S.-Ukraine cooperation The governments of Ukraine and the Program; the United States will offer other United States signed a new “road map” assistance programs that promote the rule document titled “Priorities for U.S.- of law. Ukraine Cooperation” on April 1. The doc- Ukraine will consider measures to ument was signed for the United States by ensure that punishments resulting from Daniel Fried, assistant secretary of state, prosecution of convicted traffickers are suf- and for Ukraine by Volodymyr Khandogiy, ficiently stringent to deter human traffick- first vice-minister of foreign affairs. ing and document fraud. The United States will provide Ukraine As important friends and strategic part- with technical assistance and support in ners, the United States and Ukraine cooper- organizing trainings for Ukrainian experts ate closely across a broad spectrum of and judges in combating human trafficking mutual concerns. This cooperation between and strengthening witness protection. our two democracies is based on shared Ukraine will undertake additional steps values and shared interests including to improve victims’ protection and assis- expanding economic freedom and democ- tance programs. racy; protecting security; strengthening the rule of law; supporting innovation and Improving Ukraine’s investment cli- Official Website of Ukraine’s President technological advances; and promoting mate and promoting closer economic The delegations of the United States and Ukraine meet in Kyiv to discuss the priorities public health. We intend to deepen this and commercial cooperation: of their bilateral relations. partnership to the benefit of both nations. This statement of priorities constitutes a Ukraine will pursue expedited Rada heating systems to enhance energy efficien- of the military with the projected goal of political arrangement reflecting the partici- ratification of the WTO accession protocol. cy and reduce gas import dependence. more effective cooperation with NATO pants’ intentions with regard to the matters The United States and Ukraine look for- forces. The United States will provide tech- ward to implementing our bilateral Trade it addresses. This list of priorities is not Enhancing efforts to promote nonpro- nical assistance for this endeavor. and Investment Framework Agreement, exhaustive. liferation, arms control and disarma- including holding annual consultations as ment goals: mandated by the agreement. Exploring new areas for cooperation Deepening Ukraine’s integration in To facilitate increased trade and invest- Ukraine and the United States will work in high-technology, space and missile European, Euro-Atlantic and global ment, Ukraine will implement streamlined together to build capacity within the frame- defense: institutions: registration, licensing and customs proce- work of the G-8 Global Partnership and the Ukraine and the United States will Ukraine will pursue enhanced coopera- dures, clarify property rights and improve Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear explore avenues for possible technical tion with the North Atlantic Alliance and tax administration. Ukraine and the United Terrorism. cooperation in ballistic missile defense. undertake a concerted NATO information States will work together to resolve out- Ukraine and the United States will con- Ukraine and the United States will campaign. standing business issues. tinue Biological Threat Reduction implement the Framework Agreement for The United States will continue to sup- Cooperation by enhancing bio-security and Space Cooperation. improving disease-surveillance systems. port Ukraine’s NATO membership aspira- Building Ukrainian energy security, Ukraine and the United States will Ukraine and the United States will coop- tions. energy efficiency, diversification of renew discussions aimed at completing a erate to successfully complete the destruc- Ukraine will continue to provide strong sources and transparency: Research, Development, Testing and support for international peacekeeping tion of excess weapons and munitions in Evaluation Agreement. operations, particularly assistance for Ukraine and the United States agree to accordance with the NATO/PfP UNAMID [United Nation-African Union intensify their dialogue on energy issues, [Partnership for Peace] Trust Fund project. Continuing to work together toward Mission in Darfur] operations in Darfur. including through a Bilateral Energy The United States and Ukraine will con- Security Working Group. We will also tinue activities in the area of environmen- resolution of the Transdnistria and other explore the creation of a trilateral dialogue tally responsible storage and elimination of regional conflicts and to encourage the Strengthening the rule of law in on energy involving Ukraine, the United SS-24 solid rocket motors in a technically promotion of democracy in Belarus: Ukraine, promoting reform of the legal States and the European Union. and financially sound manner. The U.S. system, law enforcement and security Ukraine and the United States renew Ukraine will complete work on a con- share of the costs is set forth in Secretary of structures, as well as accelerating efforts their commitment to negotiating a resolu- tract for alternate nuclear fuel supply and Defense [Robert] Gates’ letter to Deputy to combat corruption and trafficking in tion to the Transdnistria conflict through begin construction of a central spent Prime Minister [Andrij] Kliuyev, dated persons: the 5+2 talks in compliance with the imple- nuclear fuel storage facility. April 3, 2007. mentation of the plan “To the Resolution Ukraine will pursue judicial reform leg- The United States, along with other Both countries intend to cooperate to through Democracy” developed on the islation and implement the anti-corruption donors, will provide assistance through a consolidate and subsequently downblend basis of the initiative of the president of reforms supported by the MCC joint task force with the government of all highly enriched uranium in Ukraine for Ukraine. [Millennium Challenge Corp.] Threshold Ukraine on modernization of municipal domestic use. We agree to support vigorously the EU [European Union] Border Assistance Continuing Ukraine’s defense and Mission and the unified customs regime at military transformation: the Ukraine-Moldova border. Ukraine and the United States are united Ukraine will conduct a Strategic in the opinion that Kosovo’s declaration of Defense Review with U.S. assistance. independence does not serve as a prece- The United States will assist and advise dent. Ukraine in purchasing and fielding/deploy- Ukraine and the United States will work ing communications equipment for toward the peaceful resolution of protracted Ukrainian defense forces. conflicts in the region within the frame- Ukraine will pursue necessary legisla- work of the international organizations, in tive and regulatory reforms to transform human resource management and training (Continued on page 26)

Tours to Lourdes

The Eparchy of Stamford invites you to join His Excellency Bishop Paul Chomnycky and others to a pilgrimage to Lourdes.

Tour 1: August 17-30, 2008 Ukraine and Lourdes with Rev. Edward Young and tour escort Kvitka Semanyshyn Includes 4 nights in Lviv, 4 nights in Kyiv – including Independence Day celebration, and 4 nights Lourdes Tour Cost $3,775.00 per person, twin. $4,483.00 single

Tour 2: August 21-30, 2008 Rome and Lourdes Under the tour direction of Msgr. John Terlecky Included 4 nights Rome, and 4 nights Lourdes Tour Cost $3,172.00 per person, twin. $3,990.00 single

For more information, please contact: Dunwoodie Travel Bureau Official Website of Ukraine’s President 125 Corporate Blvd, Suite 300, Yonkers, New York 10701 U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice with Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister (914) 969-4200 (800) 550-4334 email: [email protected] Volodymyr Ohryzko. 14 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 No. 15

NATO makes... Membership (Continued from page 1) antee” of post-MAP membership and prospects for there never was, the summit’s decision Georgia and commits the alliance to that outcome, contingent on performance. Ukraine in NATO This decision is bound to impress at least three key constituencies. First, it will are no longer in stimulate Ukrainian and Georgian offi- cialdom (the former needing more stimuli doubt. than the latter) to perform strongly on the MAPs, given the actual membership shall undertake a “first assessment” of prospect. Second, it should enhance the Ukrainian and Georgian performance. Ukrainian and Georgian leaderships’ This may enable the German-led group to standings with their own public in upcom- ask for a second and possibly even a third ing elections. And, third, it makes clear to assessment prior to the 2009 summit. The Russia that NATO has a strategic stake in first results are to be assessed at foreign Ukraine and Georgia, even if they are not ministers’ meeting in December. Already, yet members of the alliance and irrespec- German and French diplomats are cited as tive of the duration of the MAP process. saying that MAP approval in December is As the summit’s communiqué clearly hardly conceivable to them, as they would implies, Ukraine and Georgia need not call for further assessments (Frankfurter wait until the next summit for a decision Allgemeine Zeitung, April 4). to approve their MAPs. The communiqué However, opportunities for empowers the North Atlantic Council at stonewalling should be exhausted by the the level of ministers of foreign affairs to 2009 summit, if the Ukrainian leadership make such a decision at one of its meet- focuses on the NATO agenda more close- ings between this summit and the next. In ly than it has since 2005 and if Georgia consideration of German and like-minded continues its strong performance as a de views, the December ministerial meeting facto ally.

Official Website of Ukraine’s President The Ukrainian president with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, an opponent of a Membership Action Plan for Ukraine.

Official Website of Ukraine’s President At the NATO summit, Ukraine’s President Viktor Yushchenko is seen with Poland’s President Lech Kaczynski, a supporter of Ukraine’s Membership Action Plan.

Tired of searching and surfing? The Ukrainian Weekly: your one reliable source for all the news about Ukraine and Ukrainians. No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 15 $100,000 committed toward reprinting of Famine Commission report PHILADELPHIA – The Ukrainian report of the U.S. Commission on the Human Rights Committee had the oppor- Ukraine Famine. One of the primary tunity to further update Kateryna movers in helping realize this project Yuschenko, the first lady of Ukraine and was the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv and Sen. head of Ukraine 3000 International Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.). Charitable Trust, on the project undertak- Sen. Dorgan, then a congressman, en by the Ukrainian Human Rights served on the U.S. Commission on the Committee to secure the reprinting of the Ukraine Famine. In his letter to landmark report of the U.S. Commission Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, on the Ukraine Famine. Sen. Dorgan wrote: “When the Oral Ulana Mazurkevich, president of the History Project was published, Ukraine Ukrainian Human Rights Committee and was under totalitarian rule and its find- former public member of the commis- ings were not reprinted in that country. sion, informed Ms. Yushchenko that the Now that Ukraine is free and independ- U. S. government has appropriated ent, reprinting the report will allow the $100,000 toward this project. voices of the survivors to be heard in In 1986 the U.S. Congress mandated their own country.” the formation of the U.S. Commission on Sen. Dorgan continued, “It would be the Ukraine Famine. The commission an appropriate gesture of U.S-Ukrainian was the vision of Ihor Olshaniwsky. The friendship to reprint copies of the Oral commission comprised two senators, four History Project for presentation to public members of the House of Representatives institutions in that country.” and six public members. The staff direc- In his letter to Secretary Rice, the sena- tor of the commission was Dr. James tor included a letter from the Ukraine’s Mace. Ministry of Foreign Affairs in which Mykhailo Markiv The purpose of the commission was to Minister Arseniy Yatsenyk wrote: “As we During a meeting discussing the documents of the U.S. Commission on the conduct a study of the 1932-1933 Great approach the 75th anniversary of the Ukraine Famine (from left) are: Ulana Baluch Mazurkevich, Ukraine’s First Famine in Ukraine in order to expand the Holodomor, your project is very important Lady Kateryna Yuschenko (holding the commission report), Ukraine’s world’s knowledge of the Famine and to to raise awareness in Ukraine and beyond. Ambassador to the U.S. Oleh Shamshur and Yara Snylyk. provide the American public with a better ... The victims and survivors of understanding of the Soviet system by Holodomor are no longer with us, but their Included in the funding also is the trans- scholarship on Famine; the American revealing the Soviet role in what is voices have survived in the testimonies lation of the Report to Congress of the response to the Famine; various consular known as the Holodomor. Hundreds of that you and your colleagues collected.” U.S. Commission on the Ukraine and diplomatic dispatches; the testimony survivors of the Famine testified. The The Kyiv Mohyla University press has Famine. of historian Robert Conquest; and public full text of these eyewitness reports was been awarded the work of reprinting the However, there are not enough funds hearings of the U.S. Commission on the published in 1990 by the United States Oral History Project of the U.S. to have that report reprinted. The Report Ukraine Famine. government. Commission on the Ukraine Famine. to Congress is the cornerstone of the The Ukrainian Human Rights The Ukrainian Human Rights Since some of the Famine survivors’ tes- work of the Commission on the Ukraine Committee an all-volunteer non-profit 501 Committee felt that it was necessary to timonies are in English, and the introduc- Famine, thus it is crucial that it should be (c) (3) organization, is appealing to the have the testimonies of the Famine sur- tions to the various case histories also are reprinted. public to help fund the additional costs of vivors reprinted and presented to Ukraine in English – these are being translated In its Executive Summary, the com- reprinting the 520-page Report to on the 75th anniversary of the into Ukrainian. The funding of $100,000 mission reports on Soviet press sources Congress. Contributions may be sent to: Holodomor. The largest body of informa- will cover the printing of 9,000 copies of on the Famine; post-Stalinist Soviet his- Ukrainian Human Rights Committee, 205 tion from survivors is compiled in the the testimonies and the translations. toriography on the Ukraine; non-Soviet Bainbridge St., Philadelphia, PA 19027. 16 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 No. 15 No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 17 18 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 No. 15

Europe,” international media reported. Mr. NEWSBRIEFS Putin stressed that “the problem is not CLACLASSSSIFIEDIFIEDSS (Continued from page 2) about the formulation, the diplomatic con- NATO summit that West Germany was struction of sentences, but about the TO PLACE YOUR AD CALL MARIA OSCISLAWSKI, (973) 292-9800 x 3040 allowed to join NATO in 1955 even essence of the problem. ...No change took or e-mail: [email protected] though it claimed to represent, but did not place in our attitude in principle to U.S. control, all of Germany. The Polish daily plans.” He added nonetheless that “our Rzeczpospolita pointed out recently that American partners not only understand our SERVICES Apon Video Germany did not hold a referendum in concerns but are sincerely trying to resolve P.O. 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France made the suggestion to PROFESSIONALS It’s over, it ended. And the fundamental Newspapers, Pysankas and Supplies the European Commission, and the latter question in this relationship is: Now can All Services to Ukraine, Mail-orders conveyed it to EU member-countries,” he we work together to put the Cold War in said. “In that case, we will have prospects Tel.: (416) 762-8751 Fax: (416) 767-6839 the past.” He added that “we agreed today for EU membership, just as we acquired e-mail: [email protected] www.westarka.com LAW OFFICES OF that the United States and Russia want to NATO-membership prospects several create a system for responding to potential ZENON B. MASNYJ, ESQ. days ago.” Speaking on the Inter televi- missile threats in which Russia, and the sion channel the previous day, Mr. FIRST QUALITY United States, and Europe will participate Yushchenko said that Ukraine’s “political UKRAINIAN TRADITIONAL-STYLE In the East Village since 1983 as equal partners. This is a powerful and sovereignty and membership in NATO are important strategic vision. ... Obviously, MONUMENTS synonymous.” He also expressed his con- Serious personal injury, real estate we’ve got a lot of work to do to convince SERVING NY/NJ/CT REGION CEMETERIES viction that a referendum in Ukraine on the [Russian] experts that the system is not for personal and business use, rep- NATO membership could be held in 2010, OBLAST aimed at Russia. It’s really to help deal resentation of small and mid-size following a “discussion among the with the threats which we all are going to MEMORIALS businesses, securities arbitration, nation.” (RFE/RL Newsline) face.” (RFE/RL Newsline) P.O. BOX 746 divorce, wills and probate. Two presidents agree to disagree… Chester, NY 10918 Putin cites threat to Russia 845-469-4247 (By Appointment Only) SOCHI, Russia – At what was billed as BILINGUAL HOME APPOINTMENTS BUCHAREST – President Vladimir their last bilateral summit as presidents of Putin said in Bucharest at the April 4 157 SECOND AVENUE their respective countries, U.S. President meeting of the Russia-NATO Council that NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10003 George W. Bush and Russia’s Vladimir “the appearance on our borders of a pow- WEB DESIGN Putin noted in Sochi, Russia, on April 6 (212) 477-3002 erful military bloc... will be taken in BY UKRAINIANS that Moscow continues to oppose a pro- Russia as a direct threat to the security of 7 years in business posed U.S. missile-defense system, com- our country. And we cannot be satisfied Tel.: (202) 657-7105 ponents of which would be based in with statements that this process is not Portfolio: Artdriver.com Poland and the Czech Republic, interna- aimed against Russia,” international tional and regional media reported. Mr. media reported. He added that “what does Putin said nonetheless that he felt “cau- MERCHANDISE not help build confidence [between Russia tious optimism” that the two sides can and NATO] is the vagueness of NATO’s eventually reach agreement and that U.S. transformation prospects. I mean the Ukrainian Book Store confidence-building proposals would be alliance’s claims for a global role in pro- “important and useful” if implemented. 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Near Ukrainian cultural Putin nonetheless did not, as many lyze missile threats; secondly, together center and churches. County bus service observers had expected, conclude a “lega- outline the architecture of a future strate- provided to shopping centers. Call owner gic missile-defense system; thirdly, ensure for more details. Peter (631) 974-4941. cy agreement” to resolve disputes on mis- sile defense and some other strategic equal, democratic access to system con- issues before they leave office. The BBC trols by each of the participants: the OPPORTUNITIES commented on April 6 that the two leaders United States, Russia and Europe.” The “agreed to disagree” and marked time Russian leader lambasted the idea that until their respective successors take NATO enlargement helps promote democ- racy, saying that “for me, it’s a very We are looking for construction helpers office. Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung noted on April 7 that Mr. Bush strange premise. ...If a country is a mem- for Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY area. has taken great pains throughout his presi- ber of NATO, it can claim to be democrat- Please call Chris at (718) 416-1111. dency to treat Mr. Putin as an equal. ic. And if it is not [a NATO member], is it (RFE/RL Newsline) not democratic then?” He argued that “accession to NATO unfortunately does ...as unmistakable differences persist not automatically lead to democratization EARN EXTRA INCOME of a particular country. It is not an auto- working from home! NO selling, SOCHI, Russia – President Vladimir matic democratizer.” Mr. Putin said that Run your advertisement here, NO stress and NO initial investment. Putin said in Sochi on April 6 that “one of “Russia does not yet aspire [to become a the most difficult questions [dividing him in The Ukrainian Weekly’s Send resume to member of NATO], thank God. We are a [email protected] and President George W. Bush] was, and CLASSIFIEDS section. remains, the anti-missile defense in (Continued on page 19) No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 19

improving relations with its neighbors and were no cheers or uncorked champagne BRUSSELS – Addressing the Foreign NEWSBRIEFS with NATO, rather than an all-out fight bottles, nor will there be.” He noted that Affairs Committee of the European (Continued from page 18) with them. Then the Euro-Atlantic integra- there is a possibility there will be no final Parliament in Brussels on April 8, self-sufficient country when it comes to tion of Kyiv and Tbilisi will no longer be statement after the NATO-Russia Council European Union foreign policy chief ensuring our security. And we are not perceived as a tragedy in Moscow.” meeting, but added that “there is no need Javier Solana said NATO rejected going to sacrifice any part of our sover- (RFE/RL Newsline) to dramatize” the matter. Mr. Rogozin said Ukraine’s application for a Membership that “we have to dramatize only when they Action Plan during the annual alliance eignty in order to create an illusion of Yushchenko hails NATO decision strengthening our security.” Britain’s do not listen to us or understand us.” He summit last week because the country’s Financial Times on April 5 quoted an BUCHAREST – NATO leaders meet- criticized NATO’s decision not to have political system is not sufficiently mature, unnamed European diplomat as saying ing in Bucharest on April 3 rejected a pro- President Vladimir Putin make a formal RFE/RL reported. “Ukraine does not have that Mr. Putin spoke “more in sorrow than posal to grant Ukraine and Georgia speech to the council as an effort to “gag a political system which is at the level of in anger.” (RFE/RL Newsline) Membership Action Plans (MAPs) to put him. ... But Putin is a creative person. He the aspirations of some [of its] leaders to them on a fast track to NATO member- will always find a way to have his say.” be part of international organizations,” Mr. Russian media on Putin’s message ship, but unanimously pledged that both Newsru.com on April 4 noted that NATO Solana said. “That has been the response indeed appeared to be “gagging” Mr. MOSCOW – The daily Moskovsky countries will eventually join the alliance, that, in a way, has been given by NATO.” international news agencies reported. Putin, but quoted unnamed Kremlin Mr. Solana also noted that Ukraine’s eco- Korrespondent noted on April 7 that sources as saying that the president’s Russian “analysts are skeptical about Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko nomic growth, while robust, does not fully hailed the Bucharest summit’s decision as remarks will be “restrained.” Also on April meet the country’s potential. He attributed President [Vladimir] Putin’s speech at the 4 ITAR-TASS quoted an unnamed “high- Bucharest summit. Dmitry Yefremov from a “victory” for Ukraine. “Today Ukraine this to a “lack of political solidarity [or] has essentially broken the sound barrier. A ranking Kremlin official” as saying that political solidity of the leadership.” the Evrazia website says, ‘It’s entirely “whatever we say, the role of NATO as a futile to try figuring out what Putin meant, decision has been made about Ukraine’s (RFE/RL Newsline) historic prospect for NATO membership. stabilizing organization objectively exists, since none of the objectives he mentioned as does the striving of some states to join Helicopter crashes in Black Sea have actually been achieved.’ Dmitry Secondly, all [NATO member] states with- out exception have positively assessed this organization. We proceed from the fact Oreshkin, head of the Merkator Group, that more close, open and equal coopera- KYIV – A helicopter belonging to the argued that ‘all of Putin’s rhetoric is pri- Ukraine’s application for the MAP,” the Ukrainian border service with 13 military Ukrainian president noted in Bucharest on tion with NATO is in keeping with marily intended for domestic consumption Russia’s interests. The question is how our men and a civilian on board crashed on and used to repair the damaged national April 3. At a meeting of the NATO- March 27 into the Black Sea, RFE/RL Ukraine Commission in Bucharest on interests are taken into account in this self-image of Russian citizens. It has noth- Ukrainian Service reported. Rescuers April 4, Mr. Yushchenko said he is confi- cooperation.” But Sergei Ryabkov, who ing to do with real politics, if only because recovered 13 bodies; the only survivor, a dent that Ukraine will be offered a MAP heads the Foreign Ministry’s department Russia has no leverage with NATO. Putin military man, was hospitalized. (RFE/RL in December. (RFE/RL Newsline) for European cooperation, said in Moscow is soon to leave office, and NATO very on April 4 that “we have new concerns Newsline) humanely permitted him to save face, Opponents hold protests in Ukraine about plans to integrate U.S. missile- Agreement signed on border traffic politely postponing membership for defense plans with NATO system. ...We Ukraine and Georgia until the post-Putin KYIV – Former Prime Minister Viktor can’t sit by and watch how they... [change] KYIV – Ukrainian Prime Minister era.’ ” The government daily Rossiiskaya Yanukovych, leader of the opposition the security situation for Russia,” news Yulia Tymoshenko and her Polish counter- Gazeta on April 7 quoted German Russia Party of the Regions, told a 5,000-strong agencies reported. (RFE/RL Newsline) part, Donald Tusk, on March 28 in Kyiv analyst Alexander Rahr as saying that anti-NATO rally in Kyiv on April 3 that signed an agreement on the rules of local “Germany and France do not consider it Ukraine should not “become hostage to Lukashenka worried about NATO possible to build a pan-European security political games,” Ukrainian media report- border traffic, RFE/RL’s Ukrainian architecture without involving Russia. In ed. “Today, we should not allow the poli- MIENSK – President Alyaksandr Service reported. Ms. Tymoshenko said other words, Old Europe believes in cy of cooperation to be replaced by the Lukashenka of Belarus said at a confer- that Ukrainian residents of a 50-kilometer strategic partnership with Moscow. Now idea of joining a military-political bloc ence with senior military officials in border zone will be able to cross the bor- this idea has to be put into practice, in against the will of the Ukrainian people,” Miensk on April 3 that his country must der many times on the basis of a special projects such as European missile Mr. Yanukovych said. “[The govern- boost its defense capabilities in order to card, without applying for visas. “In prac- defense,” regardless of the views of the ment’s] policy poses a threat of destabi- defend the union state with Russia, tice, it means an absolutely visa-free United States and “some European lization not only in Ukraine, but also in Belarusian state-run media reported. “In regime,” she said. After joining the states.” Mr. Rahr added that the Bucharest Europe. The balance that has been estab- defending Belarus, we are defending the European Union’s Schengen zone in summit also showed that “Ukraine will lished on the European continent should western border of the union state. The December 2007, Poland adjusted its visa not join NATO in the next 10-15 years. not be broken. There is no room in Europe treaty with Russia is sacred,” Mr. requirement for Ukrainians in accordance But if this does happen, the European con- for new dividing lines or military blocs Lukashenka noted. He also expressed his with the rules in force in the EU. This has tinent would see a very severe chill in hostile to each other,” he added. Some concern at the possible expansion of caused tensions among residents of the relations between the West and Russia. It 6,000 people gathered for a similar rally in NATO into the post-Soviet area. “We can- border zone, who blocked checkpoints is very hard to imagine eastern Ukraine, Donetsk, Mr. Yanukovych’s political not simply sit back and say that everything and demanded greater freedom of move- with its centuries-old cultural and civiliza- stronghold. (RFE/RL Newsline) around us is peaceful, that there are no ment across the border. According to tional ties to Russia, being part of a mili- problems around Belarus,” he said. “The Polish officials, the first permits for visa- tary bloc that is in conflict with Moscow. Russian reactions are reserved NATO bloc has set its sights on former free movement in the border zone should Soviet republics. I believe it is a matter of If Ukraine wants to be a NATO member, MOSCOW – The Moscow Times be issued in June. The agreement must its only solution is to consider the possi- time before Ukraine and Georgia join still be ratified by the parliaments of each reported on April 4 that the “public reac- NATO. No one is taking any heed of the bility of joining NATO together with tion from Russian officials [to the NATO country. (RFE/RL Newsline) Russia.” (RFE/RL Newsline) position of Russia, Belarus and other post- summit decisions the previous day] was Soviet republics.” (RFE/RL Newsline) Ukrainian president visits Libya Media weigh in on Russia’s future relatively reserved, with Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko reiterating EU official comments on Ukraine (Continued on page 20) MOSCOW – Russian Newsweek report- earlier statements that membership for ed in its issue dated April 8 that President- Georgia and Ukraine would be ‘a huge elect Dmitry Medvedev will follow essen- strategic mistake, which would have most tially the same policies toward the West as serious consequences for pan-European President Vladimir Putin, differing only in security.’ ” The daily noted that matters of style. The daily Nezavisimaya “Konstantin Kosachyov, the head of the Gazeta argued on April 7 that “Russia’s State Duma’s International Affairs present-day status is not based on its pow- Committee, said the decision demonstrated erful economy. It is largely determined by a ‘responsible attitude.’ Russia’s envoy to the actions of the outgoing president. We NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, said the decision still have plenty of vulnerable areas. That’s to wait on Ukraine and Georgia was In memory of the our beloved husband, father, why Medvedev will not be automatically expected, and that Kyiv and Tbilisi will brother, and grandfather granted the status of a strong leader of a experience delays on the path ahead.” He strong country” but must work to attain that told Kommersant of April 4 that Russian status. The daily Kommersant suggested on officials “accepted calmly” the Bucharest Eugene Jarosewich April 7 that “Moscow has only one option: decisions, adding that in Moscow “there divine liturgies will be offered on the one year anniversary of his passing on April 30, 2008, at 9 am at the Ukrainian DEATH ANNOUNCEMENTS Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family in Washington, Deadline: Tuesday noon before the newspaper’s date of issue. DC, and St. Andrew Ukrainian Catholic Church in Parma, (The Weekly goes to press early Friday mornings.) Ohio, and on May 3, 2008, at 9 am at Ss. Volodymyr and Rate: $7.50 per column-inch. Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church in Chicago. Information should be addressed to the attention of the Advertising Department Please remember him in your prayers. and sent to: The Ukrainian Weekly, 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, N.J. 07054; fax, (973) 644-9510; telephone, (973) 292-9800, ext. 3040; e-mail, [email protected]. wife, Lydia Jarosewich and family

Please include the daytime phone number of a contact person. 20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 No. 15

recalled its ambassador to the United named U.S. Embassy officers Bernard specialized ships, especially for Russian NEWSBRIEFS States, Mikhail Khvastou, for consulta- Nixon and Curt Finley as being involved oil and gas drilling and transport compa- (Continued from page 19) tions as a response to the economic sanc- in the spy ring. Jonathan Moore, deputy nies. The deal is expected to be finalized KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko tions imposed in November 2007 by the chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in later in 2008. FLC West is based in made a two-day state visit to Libya on U.S. Treasury Department against Miensk, denied the report. “We have no Luxembourg, with the Russian state hold- April 7-8, Ukrainian media reported. Belarus’s largest petrochemical company, spies operating in Belarus,” he said. Mr. ing a 50 percent share, the Associated During talks with Libyan leader Belnaftakhim. Miensk also insisted U.S. Moore also said that Messrs. Nixon and Press reported. The other 50 percent is Muammar Qaddafi, Mr. Yushchenko Ambassador Karen Stewart temporarily Finley are part of the Embassy’s security held by a Cyprus-based group of private reportedly discussed mutual cooperation leave Belarus for the same reason, which service and had contacts with the shareholders. (RFE/RL Newsline) she did on March 12. Belarusian televi- Belarusian police as part of their duties. He prospects in the trade, economic, agricul- Rada rejects National Guard bill tural, transportation, and oil and gas sec- sion has also accused the U.S. Embassy of added that Mr. Nixon left Belarus in July tors. Mr. Yushchenko told journalists in organizing a spy ring. The Belarusian 2007 and Mr. Finley was expected to leave KYIV – The Verkhovna Rada on April Tripoli on April 7 that Ukraine will supply Committee for State Security (KGB) the country that week. (RFE/RL Newsline) 8 failed to endorse President Viktor detained U.S. lawyer Emanuel Zeltser in three AN-74 multipurpose transport air- U.S. Embassy suspends visa process Yushchenko’s bill to establish a National craft to Libya under an agreement reached Miensk on March 12 without giving any Guard of Ukraine, Interfax-Ukraine in 2003. (RFE/RL Newsline) explanation for his arrest. (RFE/RL MIENSK – The U.S. Embassy in reported. The bill garnered 208 votes, Newsline) Miensk has once again suspended the while 226 were necessary for approval. Belarus suggests lifting of sanctions Belarusian KGB reports on spy ring acceptance of visa applications from The bill called for the creation of a MIENSK – Belarusian Foreign Belarusian citizens, Belapan reported on Ukrainian National Guard that would be Ministry spokesman Andrey Papou said MIENSK – The Belarusian KGB has April 4. In a statement posted on its web- composed of Internal Affairs Ministry on March 25 that if the United States real- confirmed a report aired on March 23 by site the Embassy linked the new suspen- troops and be subordinate to the president. ly wants “a different relationship” with Belarusian television that a U.S. spy ring sion of visa services to the Belarusian That same day Mr. Yushchenko submitted Belarus, it should lift its sanctions, was smashed in Belarus, Belapan reported government’s demand for a further reduc- to Parliament a bill on foreign troops’ par- Belapan reported. Mr. Papou was respond- on March 25. “Everything that was broad- tion of the diplomatic mission’s staff. “As ticipation in multinational military exer- ing to a U.S. State Department statement cast by First National Channel is true,” you are aware, only last week our cises in Ukraine in 2008. In particular, the that the United States wants “a different KGB spokesman Valery Nadtachayeu told Embassy reduced the number of American bill calls for U.S., Belgian, Moldovan, relationship with Belarus, but that can Belapan. That same day KGB chief Yury staff by half. We consider these [new] Belarusian, Slovak, Polish, Canadian, only happen when the government of Zhadobin said that no one was arrested in demands by the Belarusian government to Lithuanian and Romanian servicemen to Belarus shows commitment to respect for connection with the spy ring. “We are be unwarranted and unjustified,” the state- receive clearance to take part in military human rights and fundamental freedoms.” doing prevention work now. We are prob- ment says. The Embassy suspended its exercises this year. (RFE/RL Newsline) Mr. Papou said that the U.S. State ing to what extent this or that article of visa services on March 19 and resumed Department “misleads the international law, this or that provision was violated,” he them on April 1. (RFE/RL Newsline) Yushchenko again dismisses judge and American public, attempting to put said. “The fact that they are trying to dic- PM Putin may be confirmed May 8 KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko on the blame for the current situation in tate their rules to us on our own territory... April 3 canceled a decree issued by former Belarusian-American relations on the is unacceptable,” he added. According to MOSCOW – State Duma Chairman President Leonid Kuchma on the appoint- Belarusian side.” “Such attempts may be the report, the U.S. diplomatic mission in Boris Gryzlov said on April 1 that the State ment of Suzanna Stanik as a judge of the viewed as a manifestation of the moral Miensk organized a ring involving some Duma may examine and approve the candi- Constitutional Court, Interfax-Ukraine and political weakness of the U.S. stance 10 Belarusian citizens who passed infor- dacy of the next prime minister immediate- reported. Mr. Yushchenko reportedly found toward Belarus,” he added. He said that it mation to the United States “for the use to ly after it is submitted to the lower parlia- is Washington that should take the blame the detriment of Belarus.” The information that his predecessors decree on Ms. mentary house, Prime-TASS reported. Mr. Stanik’s appointment, issued on March 25, for the deterioration of the bilateral rela- was passed to “an FBI officer who worked Gryzlov, who is also leader of the Unified tionship and that the United States is seek- at the U.S. Embassy,” the report said. It 2004, involved procedural violations. On Russia party, which holds an absolute April 2 Mr. Yushchenko signed a decree ing to “cause the Belarusian people and also said that almost all members of the majority in the Duma, said it is no secret reinstating Ms. Stanik as a judge of the state as much damage as possible for the group were arrested on March 13 at a that Dmitry Medvedev’s inauguration as Constitutional Court. Ms. Stanik was rein- sake of subjecting our country to “secret address half a kilometer from the president is set to take place on May 7 and stated in accordance with a ruling by the American interests.” Miensk on March 7 U.S. diplomatic mission.” The report that Mr. Medvedev will nominate Vladimir Supreme Court on March 25. In May 2007 Putin as prime minister. Unified Russia will Mr. Yushchenko dismissed Ms. Stanik, as support that candidacy, Mr. Gryzlov said, well as Judges Valerii Pshenichnyi and adding that if it is submitted to the Duma Valerii Ivaschenko of the Constitutional for approval on the day of Mr. Medvedev’s Court for violating their oath of office. Ms. inauguration, then the Duma can take it up Stanik successfully challenged her dis- the following day, May 8. Prime-TASS noted that this will require a special session missal in court. (RFE/RL Newsline) of the State Duma because its members Constitutional Court judge reinstated will be visiting their respective districts that week. Vedomosti on April 1 quoted an KYIV – The Supreme Court of Ukraine unnamed source in Unified Russia as say- has reinstated Suzanna Stanik to the ing that the idea of confirming Mr. Constitutional Court, RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Medvedev’s candidate for prime minister Service reported on March 27. The court on May 8 emanated from the presidential announced that its ruling is final and can- administration, which is seeking a quick not be appealed. President Viktor confirmation because a “suitcase mentali- Yushchenko dismissed Ms. Stanik in May ty” has taken over within the government 2007 in connection with “a breach of in expectation of the impending change of oath.” Ms. Stanik was a rapporteur in the administrations and no one wants to work. case probing the constitutionality of the Under Russia’s Constitution, a newly elect- presidential decree by which Mr. ed president must submit his candidate for Yushchenko dissolved the Verkhovna prime minister to the Duma within two Rada and called early parliamentary elec- weeks of being inaugurated and the Duma tions. Ms. Stanik was also suspected of has a week to consider the nomination. corruption, but the Procurator General’s (RFE/RL Newsline) Office refused to institute proceedings against her. (RFE/RL Newsline) Average wage reaches 1,633 hrv New party founded in Ukraine KYIV – The average wage in Ukraine increased by 7.3 percent in February, as KYIV – The founding congress of the compared to January, rising to 1,633 hrv a United Center party was held on March 27 month, the State Statistics Committee in Kyiv without prior notification of the reported. The highest salary level (2,730 news media, RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service hrv) was registered in Kyiv. The February reported. The congress elected lawmaker average wage grew by 43 percent since Ihor Kril as party leader; it set up a 35- February 2007. (Ukrinform) member political council and a presidium that includes pro-presidential Our Ukraine Russia buys stakes in shipyards party lawmakers Oksana Bilozir, Olesia OSLO – The Norwegian shipbuilder Orobets, Mykhailo Polianych and Viktor Aker Yards ASA on March 25 that it has Topolov. It was widely expected in sold 70 percent of two German and one Ukrainian political circles after presiden- Ukrainian shipyards to the Russian invest- tial-administration head Viktor Baloha left ment group FLC West for $450 million, the Our Ukraine party in mid-February reported Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that a new political force would emerge on March 26. The Baltic yards are located on the scene. Mr. Baloha’s exit was imme- at Wismar and in the Rostock suburb of diately followed by that of another six Warnemuende, while the Black Sea facili- members of the Our Ukraine party. ty is at Mykolayiv. The yards will build (RFE/RL Newsline) No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 21

FOCUS ON THE ARTS Pianist Valentina Lisitsa performs to standing ovations in Alexandria by Yaro Bihun Church wrote in the Independent, “was high-octane playing with the right hand WASHINGTON – Valentina Lisitsa moving with the rapidity of a humming- returned to the Capital area with a perform- bird’s wings, but even here Lisitsa used her ance on March 28 at the Schlesinger virtuosity to express, rather than impress.” Concert Hall in Alexandria, Va., and was The program also included Beethoven’s welcomed back with standing ovations and “Sonata Appassionata,” and concluded with cries of “Brava!” Liszt’s Totentanz (Dance of Death), which While the area’s newspaper music critics brought the audience to its feet. Ms. Lisitsa – again, as they did four years ago – failed responded with two encores – Liszt’s to mark the Ukrainian-born pianist’s per- “Liebestraum” and “La Campanella.” formance on that culturally busy weekend This was how Palm Beach Daily News evening, those fortunate enough to be in the music critic Joseph Youngblood summed up audience found it unique and memorable the pianist’s March 5 performance in experience. Indeed, their comments during Florida: intermission and at the conclusion of the “To describe Lisitsa’s technique as for- performance echoed those of some of the midable would be an understatement. Her raving reviews of her concerts with similar performances of even the most difficult pas- programs earlier this year in other U.S. sages are totally effortless, totally accurate cities and in London. and totally controlled. Nothing pianistic Ms. Lisitsa opened the program with appears to be beyond her, and she can Rachmaninoff’s “Edutes-Tableaux.” It was phrase and shade as she pleases. And what Rosalie Norair a “gripping interpretation,” as James Bash seems to please her is to make music as On the eve of her concert in Alexandria, pianist Valentina Lisitsa was honored at wrote after her Portland performance in late artistically as possible.” a reception in Washington hosted by Laryssa Courtney and Ambassador William January. “Her fingers flew up and down the And it pleased the Washington audience Courtney. In this photograph with the pianist are (from left) Charles Ervin, for- keyboard in every imaginable direction, and as well. mer director of the International Trade Commission; William Miller, former U.S. she made the virtuosic passages look effort- Valentina Lisitsa was born to a family of ambassador to Ukraine; Ms. Courtney; Ms. Lisitsa; and Stephen Strickland, less.” non-musicians in Kyiv. She began playing founding director of “Music at the Supreme Court.” In Schumann’s “Kinderszenen” (“Scenes the piano at the age of 3, first appeared on of Childhood”), which began the second stage at 4 and, at 7, earned a scholarship to 1992, Ms. Lisitsa has given concerts exten- the cooperation of the Embassy of Ukraine, half of the program, the critic wrote that the the Kyiv Conservatory. Under the instruc- sively throughout the U.S. and abroad. In sponsored her previous performance here, pianist “brought each scene to us lovingly tion of the legendary Prof. I. Tsvierko, Ms. addition to her solo career, she continues to in 2004, in Old Town Alexandria’s historic and with complete understanding of every Lisitsa, along with her husband, pianist perform with her husband, orchestras and Lyceum. And Ms. Lisitsa plans to return to nuance. Her performance was impeccable, Alexei Kuznetsoff, won prizes in the chamber groups – notching more than 100 the the nation’s capital in November, as a full of wonderful feeling, and went straight Murray Dranoff Two Piano Competition, performances over the past year. She has soloist with the Warsaw Philharmonic. to the heart. I cannot image a better inter- Concertino Prague, the Lysenko Piano recorded eight CDs for the Audiofon Two more concerts remain on the TWG pretation.” Competition, the Paris Chamber Music Record Company and three DVDs. Cultural Fund’s 2007-2008 Sunday Music And Sigismund Thalberg’s “Grande Competition and the Ukrainian Chamber The Washington Group Cultural Fund Series at the Lyceum: violinist Solomia Fantaisie sur le Barbier de Seville,” as per- Music Competition. assisted in organizing her concert at Soroka on April 13 and pianist Natalia formed at London’s Wigmore Hall, Michael Since moving to the United States in Schlesinger Hall. The Cultural Fund, with Shkoda on May 18. 22 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 No. 15 No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 23

COMMUNITY CHRONICLE Southwest Florida’s Ukrainians pay tribute to heroines of Ukraine by Ann-Marie Susla Olena Ruzaykina recited a poem writ- ten by Olena Teliha, and Halyna Korol NORTH PORT, Fla. – The Ukrainian recited a work by Mykola Scherbak. community of Southwest Florida gath- Nadia Iwanczuk delivered the main ered at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic address. She spoke with feeling of the Church Hall on March 1, to celebrate the memory of the heroines of Ukraine at a strength and sacrifice of women such as special program presented by the Milena Olha Basarab, Olena Teliha, Alla Horska, Rudnycky Branch of the Ukrainian Nina Strokata, Olena Stefaniv, Vera National Women’s League of America Babenko and Nadia Svitlychna, among (UNWLA). many others, as well as the countless Maria Nawarynsky was chairwoman unknown heroines who sacrificed their of the event, and Kateryna Kobryn was lives for their beloved Ukraine. mistress of ceremonies. The Ukrainian In conclusion, Iwanna Martynetz Women’s League Choir, under the direc- thanked all those responsible for this tion of Lubow Ingram, sang several solemn and heartfelt celebration and all selections and the ensemble Mria per- those present who came to honor the formed under the direction and accompa- eternal spirit of these brave heroines who The Ukrainian Women’s League Choir of North Port, Fla., which is directed by niment of Iraida Cherniak of Canada. shall never be forgotten. Lubow Ingram.

Connecticut communities to commemorate Holodomor HARTFORD – In support of President The committee, formed by Branch 108 Congress Committee of America streets of Hartford to the State Capitol; 3 Viktor Yushchenko’s call to action for of the Ukrainian National Women’s President Michael Sawkiw Jr. p.m., remembrance program on the 2008 – “Ukraine Remembers – The League of America, has the support of The event will also include the Capitol steps, including remarks from World Acknowledges!” – a statewide both Bishop Paul Chomnycky of the International Torch Relay, which began VIPs and a memorial concert. committee representing numerous Ukrainian Catholic Diocese of Stamford its journey in Australia, and travels Committee chairwoman Lidia Choma Connecticut-based organizations is plan- and Archbishop Antony of the Ukrainian through 33 countries and ends its journey called upon all citizens of Connecticut to ning a special commemoration in Orthodox Church of the U.S.A., who in Ukraine in November of this year. As participate. “Seventy-five years of Hartford, Conn., on Saturday, May 17. together will celebrate a memorial serv- it travels, the torch will illuminate the silence is enough. Only 19 out of 196 The event will pay homage to the vic- ice to honor the Holodomor’s victims. memory of victims of genocide and serve countries recognize this tragedy as geno- tims of the 1932-1933 Holodomor and The commemoration has also received as a beacon of hope and light for the cide. The truth needs to be told, the world bring awareness and recognition to one support from leading local political fig- future. needs to learn about this atrocity. It is our of the least-known tragedies of the 20th ures, including Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi The May 17 commemoration schedule responsibility to bring about this aware- century. This genocide known as the Rell, Sens. Joseph Lieberman and is as follows: 1 p.m., memorial service at ness and recognition. Please join us in Holodomor, or “murder by starvation,” Christopher Dodd, Rep. Rosa Delauro, St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church, honoring the millions who perished.” was orchestrated and implemented by Dr. Lawrence DeNardis, and others. It 135 Wethersfield Ave., Hartford, Conn.; For further information readers may Joseph Stalin to achieve his twin aims of should be noted that Sens. Dodd and 2 p.m., solemn procession through the log on to www.holodomorct.org. collectivization and Sovietization. It Lieberman were both sponsors of the claimed the lives of up to 10 million Senate Resolution 202 recognizing the innocent men, women and children. Holodomor as genocide. There is evidence that the victims per- Dr. Oleh Shamshur, Ukraine’s ambas- ished at a rate of 1,000 per hour, or sador to the United States, will travel 25,000 per day. The perpetrators were from Washington to participate and to never held accountable for their actions. address the assembly, as will Ukrainian

San Francisco to present special program on Famine SAN FRANCISCO – The International testimonies by survivors of the genocidal Center of the San Francisco Public Library, Famine, vocal and instrumental music, in association with the Ukrainian American and poetry. Coordinating Council of Northern The event takes place on Saturday, California and the Consulate General of April 19, at 2-5 p.m. at the Koret Ukraine in San Francisco, will present a Auditorium of the San Francisco Main special program on “The 1932-1933 Library (lower level). Admission is free Holodomor: Famine-Genocide in Ukraine.” and the event is open to the public. This 75th anniversary commemoration The library is located at Market, Hyde, of the Holodomor will feature a presenta- Larkin and Eighth streets. All public tion by Dr. Roman Serbyn, historian and transport lines stop at the Civic Center professor emeritus of the University of Station, which is located right at the Quebec, who has written extensively library entrance. Paid parking is available about the Holodomor of 1932-1933 as at the Civic Center Garage at Larkin and well as the earlier Famine of 1921-1922. McAllister streets. The program will also include a For further information readers may screening of “The Harvest of Despair,” a call Nadia Derkach, 415-863-0237, or the documentary film by Slavko Nowtyski, library, 415-557-4277.

Want to see your name in print? Then why not become a correspondent of The Ukrainian Weekly in your community? We welcome submissions from all our Ukrainian communities, no matter where they are located. Let the rest of us know what you’re up to in your corner of the Ukrainian diaspora!

Any questions? Call The Weekly, 973-292-9800, ext. 3049. 24 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 No. 15 No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 25

Ukrainian pro sports update: basketball by Ihor Stelmach

porary loss of touch, neither the player or team or endanger himself. Henderson Szczerbiak not cavalier coach Mike Brown seem terribly worried respected Szczerbiak’s strong work ethic. about the ball not finding the bottom of Based on that experience, the coach pre- about trade to Cleveland the net. dicts a similar transitionary period for “They’ll start falling eventually,” Szczerbiak once he gets comfortable in Finally, after nine long years, Wally ed with Szczerbiak’s offensive skills. Szczerbiak said. “I’m getting real good his new role and digs in Cleveland. Szczerbiak finds himself playing where General Manager Embry was quoted looks, I’ve just got to stay aggressive. Heck, when Szczerbiak first appeared he always wanted to play. in the Cleveland Plain Dealer as having That’s what I do as a shooter.” at Miami U. of Ohio, coming from his Finally, following an almost entirely definite interest in getting Szczerbiak, The assimilation he’s going through in home of Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., he lost season in 2006-2007 spent recover- even if forced to trade up for the pick. his latest career stop is reminiscent of a was a scrawny kid, 6-5 and maybe 210 ing from ankle surgery, he is once again “We probably would have drafted him,” phase Szczerbiak experienced during his pounds. In his four college years he grew running, jumping and shooting injury- Embry said. “He’s a terrific shooter and junior season at Miami. Shooting himself another two inches and gained some 35 free. he knows and understands the game. He out of a slump and contributing is some- pounds, transforming his physique into Finally, he has the opportunity once knows who he is as a player.” thing interim Miami U. of Ohio coach the coveted NBA-ready body of a shoot- again to play on a contending team. In 2002 Szczerbiak’s on-court per- Jermaine Henderson recalls. An assistant ing forward. He was actually the heaviest And, finally, he has another chance to formance garnered him All-Star recogni- coach back in Szczerbiak’s third season, of the four players the Cavs acquired in start anew in a place where he seemingly tion as a member of the Timberwolves. Henderson remembers how the junior their big trade-deadline deal. is truly wanted – a place where the new However, by then he was also being pressured himself into returning to the The body mass translates into a sur- Cavaliers guard-forward had always branded as a player who was so self-con- line-up after missing eight games prising on-court strength that baffles his hoped he would start his NBA career fident he was borderline arrogant. This halfway through the year with a broken coach. Brown is sometimes reluctant to upon leaving Miami University (of Ohio) self-assured cockiness first exhibited right wrist. let Szczerbiak post up on smaller defend- in 1999. itself in a November 2000 incident with “He put a lot of heat on himself to ers for fear the forward will overpower On draft day in 1999 the Cavaliers, his extremely well-mannered teammate kind of get back and get better,” the player with too much force. On the picking eighth overall, who had their Garnett, when the two supposedly Henderson was quoted as saying in the flip side, his strong physicality is a plus sights set on Wally as their top selection, engaged fisticuffs after one heated prac- Plain Dealer blog. “He was rushing him- on the defensive side of the ball and in watched sullenly as the Minnesota tice session. Apparently it wasn’t too self.” rebounding. Timberwolves scooped Szczerbiak for serious or damaging, as reports indicated After only four weeks of treatment fol- “When you think of Wally Szczerbiak, themselves at No. 6. the two stars made up and went on to lowing the wrist break, Wally insisted on you think of shooters and guys who don’t No complaints from Szczerbiak, play very well together until Wally was returning in a big match-up against a get down and dirty defensively,” Brown though, everything worked out just dealt to the Boston Celtics in 2006. strong Eastern Michigan squad, led by said. “But Wally is a physical defender, dandy. The 6-foot-7 forward with GQ “I was young,” Szczerbiak said in a little dynamo Earl Boykins (presently a and his feet are pretty good for a big looks got his first shot at fulfilling the March blog posted on the Cleveland Charlotte Bobcat in the NBA). In his first guy.” supporting role to a superstar in Plain Dealer website. “I was a rookie and game back, Wally torched Eastern So, despite Szczerbiak’s temporary Minnesota with Kevin Garnett. It did not we had a few run-ins. It was kind of one Michigan for 26 points. shooting slump, playing good strong take Szczerbiak very long to find and of those things where you want to estab- “That was a swagger that made him defense keeps him in coach Brown’s develop confidence on NBA courts all lish your turf. I’m not saying anyone was the player he was,” Henderson said. It rotation of players. Since the playing over the league. His confidence spurred right or wrong, but we got over it and was a confident arrogance.” time is still there, there is hope the shoot- him to perform and produce to the extent had a lot of good times, and a lot of fun The assistant coach realized his star ing touch will soon reappear. of earning a monster contract that prom- playing together for five and a half player would never come back at less ises to pay him a whopping $13 million years.” than 100 percent – he would not hurt his (Continued on page 27) in 2008-2009. The final year of his six- Two-time teammate Delonte West, year, $63 million deal has him slotted as traded with Szczerbiak to Seattle from the third highest paid Cavalier next sea- Boston, then to Cleveland, offers up a son. different perspective of his traveling part- If lady luck had rolled Wayne Embry’s ner. West has noted the now more mature way, Szczerbiak would never have trav- 31-year-old veteran is the sort of team- elled the obscure Minnesota-to-Boston- mate who would quickly make an effort to-Seattle-to-Cleveland route. to solve any disagreements rather than The Cleveland Cavaliers’ general allow any perceived cockiness to derail a manager in 1999 and fellow Miami U. of team’s positive momentum. Ohio graduate Embry had Szczerbiak “He always takes the high road in labeled as his top guy for several years everything,” West said according to the prior to the 1999 draft. GM Embry Plain Dealer blog. “Always. He’s the always secretly coveted calling Wally’s ultimate on and off the court.” name as his organization’s top pick, The on-the-court maturity and person- pulling off the steal of the entire draft. al growth as a teammate from his early Through countless scouting trips, Embry Minnesota days has undoubtedly pre- sensed the young Ukrainian sharpshooter pared Szczerbiak for his current situation had a genuine feel for the hoops game – a in Cleveland. He finds himself sharing feel and a knowledge of the sport inherit- time and the basketball with another ed, in part, from watching his father, NBA superstar in the personage of Walt, play in the old ABA and in Europe “King” Lebron James, arguably the for many years. league’s top player. Szczerbiak totally This rare knowledge of the game, understands his role on his new club – he together with many eyewitness accounts was not brought in to be a team leader or of deadly displays of a smooth-shooting to hoist oodles of shots every game. He form, led Embry to believe he had identi- was acquired as a complementary player fied a phenomenal pro prospect. to provide some instant offense off the Szczerbiak’s medium-to-long range bench and spark the team’s second unit. shooting skills translated into a 24- “I’m just a piece of the puzzle, a cog in points-per game scoring average during the wheel,” Szczerbiak said. “I’m just his senior season. trying to do my part.” The entire basketball world saw the His part is to provide the accurate out- potential of Wally Szczerbiak when he side shooting the Cavs have desperately led his Miami U. of Ohio squad to a craved whether from 15 feet or beyond Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA the three-point arc. And Wally will surely Tournament. Yup, “Wally World” became get some chances to hoist the rock while an overnight sensation after torching James garners most of the defensive Washington for 43 points, then following attention from opposing teams. up with 24 against Utah, then another 23 However, Wally’s arrival in Cleveland against Kentucky. Wally moved up on coincided with a bit of a shooting slump. everyone’s draft list. As a Cavalier (through the first few days Sensing he probably wasn’t going to of April), Szczerbiak has made only 33.6 get his man, the Cavs GM tried to bar- percent of his field goal attempts. gain a trade with the Minnesota Compare this low figure to his 43.2 per- Timberwolves, drafting two slots higher. cent for the entire season (Seattle and The T’wolves thought about it, but even- Cleveland combined), and his career 49- tually held firm. They, too, were infatuat- percent ranking. Looking at it as a tem- 26 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 No. 15

Cooperative Airspace Initiative and ation mechanisms, especially the Bilateral Bucharest summit... Russia’s support to Operation Active Priorities... Coordination Group and the Bilateral (Continued from page 12) Endeavor in the Mediterranean con- (Continued from page 13) Working Group on Nonproliferation and elections in Georgia in May. MAP is the tribute to our common fight against ter- particular the U.N. and the OSCE Export Control. next step for Ukraine and Georgia on rorism. We also welcome our cooperation [Organization for Security and Cooperation their direct way to membership. Today on military interoperability, theater mis- in Europe]. Remembering the 1932-1933 we make clear that we support these sile defense, search and rescue at sea, and Holodomor (Great Famine) in Ukraine: countries’ applications for MAP. civil emergency planning. Ukraine and the United States will Therefore we will now begin a period of ... 38. We also commend the work Developing regional organizations: closely cooperate to promote remembrance intensive engagement with both at a high already under way to strengthen NATO The leadership role of Ukraine in and increase public awareness of the 1932- political level to address the questions Russia missile defense cooperation. We GUAM [Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, 1933 man-made Great Famine (Holodomor) in Ukraine, including within still outstanding pertaining to their MAP are committed to maximum transparency Moldova] will be further strengthened, the framework of the international organi- applications. We have asked foreign min- and reciprocal confidence building meas- including enhancing its role as host of the zations. isters to make a first assessment of ures to allay any concerns. We encourage GUAM Secretariat in Kyiv. progress at their December 2008 meet- the Russian Federation to take advantage ing. Foreign ministers have the authority of United States missile defense coopera- Combating HIV/AIDS and tuberculo- to decide on the MAP applications of tion proposals and we are ready to Enhancing bilateral cooperation sis: Ukraine and Georgia. explore the potential for linking United through exchanges and visits: Ukraine and the United States will fur- 24. We remain committed to the strate- States, NATO and Russian missile Ukraine and the United States agree to ther their cooperation in order to fight gically important region of the Balkans, defense systems at an appropriate time. pursue a vigorous program of high-level HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Ukraine will where Euro-Atlantic integration, based ... 43. We are concerned with the per- visits between our two capitals. Both sides continue scaling up its efforts in combating on democratic values and regional coop- sistence of regional conflicts in the South will use such visits to enhance and energize HIV/AIDS, including prevention, detection eration, remains necessary for lasting Caucasus and the Republic of Moldova. work on key priorities. and treatment, to meet Global Fund com- peace and stability. We welcome progress Our nations support the territorial integri- Ukraine and the United States agree to mitments. since the Riga summit in developing our ty, independence and sovereignty of promote people-to-people contacts and Ukraine will strengthen its Country cooperation with Bosnia and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and the increase focus on cultural, educational and Coordination Mechanism on combating Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia. Republic of Moldova. We will continue professional exchange programs. AIDS, and undertake efforts to introduce We encourage each of these three coun- to support efforts towards a peaceful set- Ukraine and the United States will fur- best practices for detecting, preventing and tries to use to the fullest extent possible tlement of these regional conflicts, taking ther their dialogue through bilateral cooper- treating TB and HIV. the opportunities for dialogue, reform into account these principles. and cooperation offered by the Euro- …47. NATO remains committed to Atlantic Partnership, and we have direct- strengthening key alliance information ed the Council in Permanent Session to systems against cyber attacks. We have sense for the Kremlin to try to disrupt the keep the development of relations with recently adopted a Policy on Cyber Human rights... liberal conference. “It could lead to a unifi- each of these partners under review. Defense, and are developing the struc- (Continued from page 2) cation of the democrats that would then be ... 28. We recall that the NATO-Russia tures and authorities to carry it out. Our defense in other cases, including new convenient for the Kremlin to control,” he partnership was conceived as a strategic Policy on Cyber Defense emphasizes the charges pending against former Yukos said. “But Grigory Yavlinsky, on the other element in fostering security in the Euro- need for NATO and nations to protect CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky and his for- hand, doesn’t need such a unification. And Atlantic area, based on core principles, key information systems in accordance mer partner, Platon Lebedev. removing Reznik, the conference organizer, values and commitments, including with their respective responsibilities; Deputy Finance Minister Sergei from the political arena might even be con- democracy, civil liberties and political share best practices; and provide a capa- Storchak was arrested on vague corruption venient for [Yavlinsky]. It can’t be exclud- pluralism. Looking back at a history of bility to assist allied nations, upon charges in November, and many analysts ed that [Reznik] was set up by his own peo- more than a decade, we have developed a request, to counter a cyber attack. We have concluded the case is a bid by “silovi- ple, who arranged a provocation with the political dialogue as well as concrete look forward to continuing the develop- ki” in the administration to put pressure on police.” projects in a broad range of international ment of NATO’s cyber defense capabili- Deputy Prime Minister and Finance This is the sort of character assassination security issues where we have common ties and strengthening the linkages Minister Aleksei Kudrin. and innuendo that is the direct result of the goals and interests. While we are con- between NATO and national authorities. All of these cases are landmarks – and country’s cynical culture of political lies. cerned by recent Russian statements and 48. We have noted a report “NATO’s not the only ones – in what Mr. Medvedev As Mr. Kovalyov wrote: “Cynicism is actions on key security issues of mutual Role in Energy Security.” prepared in himself has decried (whether earnestly or cowardice, the flight from burning prob- concern, such as the Treaty on response to the tasking of the Riga sum- rhetorically) as Russia’s appalling culture lems and hard-hitting discussion. It is the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe mit. Allies have identified principles of “legal nihilism.” lowest pragmatism, petty time-serving tee- (CFE), we stand ready to continue work- which will govern NATO’s approach in And the speculation around Mr. tering on the verge of baseness, or already ing with Russia as equal partners in areas this field, and outlined options and rec- Yavlinsky’s meeting with Mr. Putin and the toppled over the edge. It is intrigue trump- of common concern, as envisaged by the ommendations for further activities. Reznik case does not end there. ing competition and a rejection of moral Rome Declaration and the Founding Act. Based on these principles, NATO will Political analyst Valery Ostrovsky told taboos.” And, as he concluded, it is hard to We should continue our common efforts engage in the following fields: informa- Nezavisimaya Gazeta that it doesn’t make see a way out of such a situation. in the fight against terrorism and in the tion and intelligence fusion and sharing; area of nonproliferation of weapons of projecting stability; advancing interna- mass destruction and their means of tional and regional cooperation; support- delivery. We urge Russia to engage ing consequence management; and sup- actively in important cooperative offers porting the protection of critical energy PREVIEW OF EVENTS that have been extended. We believe that infrastructure. The alliance will continue United States Russia bilateral discussions (Continued from page 32) Friday, May 2 to consult on the most immediate risks in on missile defense and CFE, among other ety’s building, 63 Fourth Ave. (between CLEVELAND: Dr. Serhij Kvit, the newly the field of energy security. ... issues, can make an important contribu- Ninth and 10th streets) at 5 p.m. For addi- elected president of the National tion in this field. We believe the potential 50. We express our sincere apprecia- tional information call 212-254-5130. University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy, will of the NATO-Russia Council is not fully tion for the gracious hospitality extended meet with the Ukrainian community at the realized and we remain ready to identify to us by the government of Romania. The CHICAGO: The public is invited to St. Pokrova Hall at 7 p.m. This will be an attend an exhibit and sale of Trypillian and pursue opportunities for joint actions city of Bucharest has been the venue of informative session as well as a fund-rais- NATO’s largest ever summit meeting, ceramics created by Myron Bokalo of er. Topics to be discussed will include the at 27, while recalling the principle of New Jersey. Sponsored by the Women’s independence of decision-making and highlighting the alliance’s determination current situation in Ukraine, higher educa- Association for the Defense of Four tion in Ukraine, the future of the academy actions by NATO or Russia. We reaffirm to work closely with the international Freedoms for Ukraine, the exhibit will and study opportunities for students. A to Russia that NATO’s Open Door policy community, as well as its own unique take place at the Ukrainian American contribution to promoting security and short video of the academy will also be and current, as well as any future, NATO Youth Association hall, 2457 W. Chicago shown. This event is sponsored by the stability in a fast-changing strategic envi- Ave., at 10 a.m-4 p.m. For further infor- missile defense efforts are intended to United Ukrainian Organizations of Ohio ronment. At our meeting we have taken mation call 847-516-0678. better address the security challenges we and the Mohyla Foundation. For more all face, and reiterate that, far from pos- decisions and given further direction for Monday, April 21 information call Marusia Kvit-Flynn, 440- ing a threat to our relationship, they offer NATO’s own ongoing adaptation to that CAMBRIDGE, Mass.: The Harvard 846-0551. opportunities to deepen levels of cooper- environment, through its missions and operations, the modernization of its Ukrainian Research Institute will host a Saturday-Sunday, May 17-18 ation and stability. lecture by Oksana Blashkiv, academic 29. We note Russia’s ratification of the structures and capabilities, closer engage- researcher, Ivan Franko State Pedagogical CHESTER, Pa.: Holy Ghost Ukrainian Partnership for Peace Status of Forces ment of other nations and organizations, University of Drohobych; and Eugene and Catholic Church, 3015 W. Third St., Agreement, and hope that it will facilitate as well as its continuing openness to the Daymel Shklar Research Fellow, Chester, Pa., will celebrate its 100th further practical cooperation. We appreci- inclusion of additional member-states. Ukrainian Research Institute. Her lecture, anniversary. The anniversary celebration ate Russia’s readiness to support NATO’s We have strengthened our dialogue and “Roman Jakobson vs. Dmytro will include a banquet/dance to be held on Saturday beginning at 6 p.m. at the ISAF mission in Afghanistan by facilitat- cooperation with countries and organiza- Cyzevskyj,” will be held in Room S-050 (Concourse level) of CGIS Building South Holiday Inn Select, Naamans Road, ing transit through Russian territory. We tions vital to our security. We will meet Claymont, Del. A hierarchical divine litur- again next year in Strasbourg and Kehl to at 4-6 p.m. The South Building of the would welcome deepened NATO-Russia Center for Government and International gy will be celebrated on Sunday at 11 cooperation in support of, and agreed by, celebrate NATO’s 60th anniversary, take Studies (CGIS) is located at 1730 a.m., followed by a brunch reception in the government of Afghanistan, and look stock of its adaptation, and give further Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 02138. the church hall. Tickets are $50 per person forward to building on the solid work direction for the modernization of our For more information contact HURI at and must be purchased in advance. All are already achieved in training Afghan and alliance to meet the security challenges 617-495-4053 or log on to welcome. Contact Chris Matijkiw, 610- Central Asian counter-narcotics officers. of the 21st century. http://www.huri.harvard.edu/calendar.htm. 358-4446, for more information. Our continued cooperation under our No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 27

his disappearance, 15 undercover police- On the verdict... men were used to track his movements, Boston College conference to focus (Continued from page 8) with four of them kidnapping him, while ident’s office has succeeded in having the the others observed. Besides being on economic potential of Ukraine media forget that the alleged organizers of unlawful, this was a huge state expendi- ture on a journalist whose articles Gongadze’s murder are still at liberty. NEWTON, Mass. – On Saturday, tional trade, Ukraine’s economic integra- appeared on the Internet, to which very The media has been almost silent over April 19, the Ukrainian Student Society tion into the European Union, energy and few had access in the year 2000, and of Boston College will host an economic energy dependency, incentives for for- the fact that most of the trial was held in whose only “crime” was his right to write conference titled “Unlocking the eign investment in Ukraine, risks and secret, and reminiscent of past Soviet polit- critical articles about the president and Economic Potential of Eastern Europe – benefits for U.S. investors, and the ical trials, and against the country’s his immediate circle. With a Focus on Ukraine.” The confer- domestic Ukrainian market. Constitution. Article 129, point 7 of Sadly, the decision to try the three ence will begin at 2 p.m. in Higgins 300 Ukraine’s Constitution provides the “open- policemen in secret was supported by the *** on the Boston College campus. ness of a trial and its complete recording journalist’s widow, Myroslava Gongadze. The conference’s panelists will include by technical means.” She should have withdrawn her lawyer The conference is free and open to the Morgan Williams, president of the U.S.- Most of the trial of the policemen was from the trial like Gongadze’s mother did. general public. Ukraine Business Council, and Mykhajlo in secret in order to maintain people’s Such a united stand would bare to the The Ukrainian Society of Boston Datsenko, president of the Ukrainian ignorance of the state’s political surveil- world the sham of the proceedings on cam- College was founded in March 2007. It Citizens International Organization. lance and specifically how it was carried era. The consequence of this prolonged serves as a student-run organization dedicat- Other speakers will include faculty from out against Gongadze. In the summer of and secret trial is that the killers who con- ed to celebrating and preserving Ukrainian Boston College, Rutgers University and 2000 up to 30 secret police agents were fessed are in prison, while the organizers culture. The Ukrainian Society of Boston Tufts University, as well as a number of used to spy on Gongadze. On the day of who lied are free. College seeks to promote activity and edu- representatives of non governmental cation about Ukrainian history, heritage and organizations (NGOs) and Ukrainian tradition, and share this with the larger American financial institutions. Boston College community. The Ukrainian Institute of Ukrainian Archeography and Among the topics that the conference Society of Boston College seeks to fulfill a Crisis... Source Studies at the academy from 1991 will discuss are the climate for general social, education and political purpose in (Continued from page 5) to 2000. He was appointed deputy director investment and development, foreign vs. being active in Ukrainian-related affairs as internal investment, IPOs and NGOs, the they pertain not only to Boston College national idea. This cannot be allowed to general of the State Committee on politics of economic development, trans- directly, but also to Ukrainian American happen. Ukrainian community efforts Archives of Ukraine in 2000, promoted to parency, foreign investment and interna- communities and Ukrainians in general. should drive this point home to Ukrainian director general in 2002 and then demoted government officials and diplomats.” to first deputy director general in September 2006 to make room for Ms. Professional archivist Ginzburg. During his tenure as director general, starting out. “I’d love to go to In contrast to Ms. Ginzburg, Dr. Boriak Dr. Boriak worked to bring the state Szczerbiak... Cleveland,” Szczerbiak said then. “They is a professional archivist. He earned his archives into line with international stan- (Continued from page 25) need somebody to put people in the seats. bachelor’s degree in history from Taras dards. With ongoing funding and support “It’s just a great spot for me,” If I end up there, I would be able to do it. Shevchenko Kyiv State University in from the Harvard Ukrainian Research I have a big following in Ohio.” 1978, followed by post-graduate studies at Szczerbiak said of the Cavs. “This team Institute (HURI) and the Ukrainian Hopefully some of that following is the Institute of History of the National has championship aspirations, which at Studies Foundation, he expedited the still around and will pay to watch him Academy of Sciences of Ukraine this point in my career is just perfect.” computerization of the Ukrainian archival Ideas of a perfect setting were rolling play in Cleveland. After all, Wally’s (NASU). In 1987 he earned his candidate system, designed a website, oversaw the of sciences degree in history from Taras around in Szczerbiak’s head back in where he always wanted to be all along. preparation and publication of guides to 1999, too, when Szczerbiak was just It only took him nine years to get there. Shevchenko Kyiv State University with a various archival holdings in both electron- concentration on the historical geography ic and paper form, and implemented the of Ukraine in the 15th to 16th centuries, process of declassifying and making avail- and in 1996 he earned his doctorate in his- able to scholars the previously classified tory, concentrating on the national holdings of the Communist Party. He also archival information system. began the ongoing compilation of a Dr. Boriak worked at the Central State “Ukrainian martyrology” to permanently Historical Archive of Ukraine in Kyiv record the millions of victims of the from 1984 to 1988. He was a senior Communist regime. researcher at the NASU Institute of To explore the archival administration’s History from 1988 to 1991 and the deputy website readers may log on to director of the Mykhailo Hrushevsky www.archives.gov.ua.

“Putin’s Mini-Me (or Not?),” edito- In the press... rial, The New York Times, March 4: (Continued from page 6) “… Though Putin cannot possibly be “And so it came to pass as Vladimir militarily intimidated by any potential Putin decreed: Dmitry Medvedev will be NATO relationship with Georgia or Russia’s next president. … Ukraine, he may well be afraid of the “Mr. Medvedev owes his career to Mr. example set by those countries’ Western Putin and promoted candidacy as one that orientation, since their geopolitical choic- will ensure continuance of the former es challenge his own. Soviet spy master’s agenda. But is that the “Even some of the shockingly Soviet best we can expect, four more years of a interpretations of history promulgated in Putin-like Kremlin that uses its full powers Russia in recent years – famously, Putin to quash all serious political opposition, described the break-up of the Soviet Union as ‘the greatest geopolitical catas- intimidate neighboring states and encour- trophe of the 20th century’ – make sense age a macho confrontation with the West? in this context. Surely a part of their pur- Is Medvedev, who agreed in advance to pose was to create an alternate version of make Mr. Putin prime minister, merely Mr. post-Soviet history, one that supports the Putin’s clone or will he prove to be his own Kremlin’s current rule. According to the man, as did Mr. Putin when he succeeded Putinist explanation of history, the fall of Boris Yeltsin? the Soviet Union was not a moment of “…Early signs are troubling. Hours after liberation but the beginning of collapse. the election, Russia reduced gas supplies to The hardships and deprivations of the Western-inclined Ukraine. Mr. Medvedev 1990s were not the result of decades of heads Gazprom, Russia’s gas monopoly. Communist neglect and widespread thiev- “The United States and its allies need ery but of capitalism and democracy. Russia as a partner to address many inter- “In other words, communism was sta- national challenges… But they cannot pre- ble and safe, post-communism has been a disaster, and Putin’s regime has set the tend that Mr. Putin and his allies operate country on the right track again. The from democratic intentions. … more Russians believe this, the less likely “Mr. Medvedev takes office in May… they are to want a truly open, genuinely We hope he returns Russia to a democratic entrepreneurial, authentically democratic path and ensures that he is not just a foot- society – at least until the oil runs out.” note to Putin’s place in history.” 28 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 No. 15 Ukraine’s leaders... (Continued from page 1) pledged commitment to one day admit both Ukraine and Georgia as members of the alliance was “unexpected” good news, and called such a decision “historic” in nature. Mr. Yushchenko’s positive assessment is based on the fact that NATO’s unprecedent- ed declaration to one day admit Ukraine as a full member far outweighs the apparently temporary setback characterized by the MAP deferment. “What is most important for us from the point of view of dialogue is not the MAP, it’s the membership in NATO. This is our goal,” said President Yushchenko. “I have no doubt that Ukraine will be part of NATO. For me, as for Ukrainians, this is not a matter of choice. This is a matter of time,” he added. President Yushchenko also pointed out NATO that during the actual two-hour-long discus- Leaders of NATO member-states gather for a group photo at the Bucharest summit. sion in Bucharest regarding Ukraine’s rela- tionship with NATO, not one of the 26 ment within the European Union and its Ukrainian delegation headed by President “I think we received the maximum of member-states voiced its disapproval of network of security,” added Ms. Viktor Yushchenko, who based his mission what we were able to get in Bucharest,” Ukraine’s eventual admission into the Bohatyriova. in Bucharest on the fundamentals of said Hryhorii Perepelytsia, director of the alliance. Ms. Bohatyriova, a leading member of Ukraine’s interests, but taking into account Institute of Foreign Policy in Kyiv. The Offering her view on the importance of the Party of the Regions, also pointed out the prerogatives of others,” stated Ms. political analyst said he thinks Ukraine is dialogue as a member of Ukraine’s delega- that the bilateral negotiations that took Bohatyriova. very lucky because the situation could have tion to the NATO summit, Raisa place in Bucharest were of the utmost President Yushchenko added that turned out to be a complete disaster. Bohatyriova, chair of the National Security importance and had a significant impact Ukraine is no longer being treated as some- “We could have been denied the MAP and Defense Council (NSDC), recalled the precisely because the exchange of dialogue one else’s political by-product. “When we outright and eventually we would have been significance of the meeting in Bucharest by took place not only between traditional consider Ukraine’s choice today and its forgotten. And then the re-integration underscoring the fact that all sides who took partnerships, but new alliances as well. The place on the world political arena, I can process with Russia would have begun. part in the discussion recognized Ukraine’s chair of Ukraine’s NSDC said she was par- declare without any doubt that today Russia realizes that the MAP deferment is right to choose its own strategic path of ticularly pleased by the “openness” of dis- Ukraine’s independence is not a result of only a time-out,” added Mr. Perepelytsia. security and sovereign development based cussion between the European Union and someone else’s war with a third party. Some experts contend that the strong on an independent policy of democratic the United States vis-à-vis Ukraine’s inten- Ukraine is not episodic. We don’t need support of the United States may actually reforms. tions to solidify its statehood and national someone else’s constant consultations and have hampered Ukraine’s MAP bid. “The decision of the Bucharest summit interests as an integral European polity. commentaries,” said Mr. Yushchenko. According to Taras Berezovets, director of has already paved the way for a bridge of “Everyone simultaneously acknowl- Nevertheless, despite his claim that the PR firm Polittek, Ukraine spent too hope between Ukraine and a contemporary edged a new level of political diplomacy Ukraine’s membership in NATO is “a key, much time courting the U.S. and Europe’s foundation of traditional democracies. Such and tolerance, and also recognized a high fundamental national interest,” President newest democracies, whose support was a move will guarantee Ukraine’s develop- level of politesse on the part of the Yushchenko has come under fire from pro- already assured, instead of spending more Western critics for belatedly launching the time at the table with the “old” democracies NATO information campaign three years of Europe. Similarly, Europe’s traditional into his presidency. “We are aware of the democracies were not willing to take UNA SENIORS’ CONFERENCE fact that this is not an issue which can be chances with a lame duck U.S. president in Sunday, June 8-13, 2008 decided in one day. Calculated steps need to the last year of his term. be taken based on expertise. We are getting Likewise, Mykhailo Pohrebinskyi, direc- SOYUZIVKA ready, and we will be ready. We don’t plan tor of the Kyiv-based Center of Political to stretch this process out for decades,” Save this date for the Seniors’ Week Research and Conflict Studies, suggested countered Mr. Yushchenko. that the main reason Ukraine’s MAP acces- Make your reservations for the UNA Seniors’ Conference which will be held at “Within the next two years we will sion was delayed, is the accepted notion that SOYUZIVKA cultural centre, beginning Sunday, June 8th, starting with wine and engage the people in an appropriate dia- Western Europe was not keen on crediting cheese through Friday, June 13th, 2008 including brunch. Registration: Sunday & logue, in those discussions that are neces- President Bush with yet another success Monday morning. All inclusive 5 nights, all meals, banquet, taxes and gratuities sary in order to shape a national position on story in Eastern Europe, similar to the one included, entertainment and special speakers. We encourage participants to wear NATO membership. By that time we will the U.S. leader already enjoys in Poland. Ukrainian embroidery during the banquet and to bring artifacts to be auctioned off achieve the MAP and undergo necessary On the other hand, the essence of during our evening auction for the benefit of the Seniors’ Club. reforms that will pave the wave for a Ukraine’s latest effort to secure the MAP national referendum,” added the president. lies in the attempt to maintain the status-quo UNA members Prime Minister Tymoshenko vowed on April 8 that her government will pay more vis-à-vis European security, according to Single occupancy $425 – double $355 pp Oleksander Medvedev, director of the Aksia Per night – Single $100 – Double $82 pp attention to raising public awareness about NATO. “The Ukrainian government will Center for Political Research. “NATO equals a military-political security type of Non UNA members take all the necessary steps to improve the Single occupancy $475- double $373 pp coordination and fulfill all the measures of entity, while Russia amounts to an Per night – Single $110 – Double $90 pp the NATO-Ukraine target plan for 2008,” European energy security type of entity, she said. where Russia can cut off gas to Europe at BANQUET & ENTERTAINMENT only $35 pp “Moreover, the government will pay any time. Europe is just not willing to play more attention to the process of raising pub- such games with Russia,” added Mr. Call SOYUZIVKA Tel: 845-626-5641 – Register early. Medvedev. Limited space available. lic awareness on Euro-Atlantic integration both by increasing budget earmarks and by Offering his comments on the Bucharest Contact local senior clubs and organize a bus from your area. ensuring continuous cooperation between summit, former President Leonid Kravchuk For further information please call Oksana Trytjak the authorities and NGOs on this matter, said Ukraine’s foreign policy has the Tel: 973 292-9800 X 3071 Ms. Tymoshenko added. responsibility to safeguard the independ- ence of Ukraine, its territorial integrity and Senior Citizens’ Week is: The prime minister pointed out that NATO’s decision to postpone Ukraine’s bid overall development of the state. “Today FUN, AFFORDABLE AND INTERESTING - only NATO can create a European system WE WELCOME GUESTS! COME ONE, COME ALL! for a MAP was a fair decision, because it objectively reflected the current level and of security for Ukraine,” said Mr. future prospects of Ukraine’s relationship Kravchuk. with the alliance. “We have to admit that today Russia is According to a poll conducted by the behaving aggressively towards Ukraine. We Ukrainian National Sociological Service, hear what the Russian intelligentsia is say- 35.6 percent of Ukrainians would definitely ing, even such highly respected individuals vote against Ukraine’s accession to NATO as [Alexander] Solzhenitsyn. We hear what if a referendum on the issue were held [Moscow Mayor Yuri] Luzhkov is saying, today. Similarly, according to a poll con- what Russian political scientists and politi- ducted by the Public Opinion Foundation of cians are stating. We find ourselves under Ukraine, 59.9 percent of Ukrainians are constant Russian pressure and we must ready to vote against Ukraine’s accession to think about tomorrow,” underscored the the strategic alliance if a national referen- first president elected after Ukraine declared dum were to be held now. independence in 1991. No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 29 OUT AND ABOUT

April 15-16 “U.S.-Ukraine Energy Dialogue III – Ukrainian League of Philadelphia, Washington Securing Ukraine’s Energy Independence,” www.kinofilmproject.org Center for U.S.-Ukraine Relations and The Orange Circle, Hart Senate Office April 26 Holodomor exhibit and film screening, Building, www.energyukraine.net or Syracuse, NY Ukrainian National Women’s League of 212-473-0839 or 212-388-0177 America – Branch 68, Hazard Branch Library, 315-492-9696 April 17 Lecture by Madeline Rees, “Failures of Stanford, CA Identification and Response to Trafficking April 28 Lecture by Oleh S. Ilnytzkyj, “Two of Women in Eastern Europe,” Stanford Stanford, CA Nationalities, Three Cultures: Russians and University, 650-725-2563 Ukrainians in the Russian Empire,” Stanford University, 650-725-5936 April 17 Book reading by Askold Melnyczuk, “The Iowa City, IA House of Widows,” Prairie Light Bookstore, May 2 Monthly social, The Washington Group, 319-337-2681 Washington Leopold’s Café, 240-381-0993

April 17 Wine-tasting, Ukrainian American Cultural May 2 Concert, featuring Vasyl Popadiuk, Wave4 Whippany, NJ Center of New Jersey, 973-479-8715 or Brooklyn, NY Enterntainment, Exit Club and Lounge, 973-713-6956 508-934-9341 or 212-447-0729

April 17 Film screenings, “Radiophobia” by Julio Entries in “Out and About” are listed free of charge. Priority is given to New York Soto, and “Have You Ever Heard About events advertised in The Ukrainian Weekly. However, we also welcome Vukovar?” by Paolo Borraccetti, Columbia submissions from all our readers. Items will be published at the discretion University, www.columbia.edu/cu/ufc of the editors and as space allows; photos will be considered. Please note: items will be printed a maximum of two times each. Please send e-mail to April 17 Lecture by Taras Kuzio, “The Tymoshenko [email protected]. Washington Government’s Domestic and Foreign Policies – The First 100 Days,” George Washington University, 202-994-6340 WWantant toto seesee April 18 Lecture by Myroslav Shkandrij, “Jewish- Toronto Ukrainian Identity: The Consolidation and youryour namename inin print?print? Separation in the Ukrainian Culture of the 1890s-1930s,” Shevchenko Scientific Then why not become a correspondent of Society of Canada, 416-946-7326 The Ukrainian Weekly in your community? April 18 Exhibit, “Holodomor: Genocide by Famine,” We welcome submissions from all our Ukrainian communities, no Toronto International Coordinating Committee of matter where they are located. Let the rest of us know what you’re the Ukrainian World Congress, Toronto up to in your corner of the Ukrainian diaspora! City Hall, 416-323-4772 Any questions? Call The Weekly, 973-292-9800, ext. 3049. April 19 Spring Cleaning at Soyuzivka, Brooklyn Kerhonkson, NY Ukrainian Group, Soyuzivka, [email protected]

April 19 War re-enactment, 360th anniversary of Tyler, TX the Ukrainian War of Independence 1648- 1657, Four Winds Renaissance Faire, [email protected] or www.living-history.com

April 19 Pysanka demonstration, Ukrainian National Syracuse, NY Women’s League of America – Branch 68, Hazard Branch Library, 315-492-9696

April 19 Conference, “Unlocking the Economic Chestnut Hill, MA Potential of Eastern Europe,” Federation of Ukrainian Student Organizations of America, Boston College, 617-656-7655

April 19 Trypillian ceramic exhibit by Myron Bokalo, Chicago Women’s Association for the Defense of Four Freedoms of Ukraine, Ukrainian American Youth Association hall, 847-516-0678

April 20 Easter bazaar, North Anthracite Council – Scranton, PA League of Ukrainian Catholics, St. Vladimir Parish Center, 570-563-2275 or 570-759-2824

April 20 Easter Bazaar, Ukrainian Catholic Women’s Ottawa League, St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Shrine hall, 613-225-7115

April 20 Lecture by Dr. Boris Lushniak, “Pandemic Whippany, NJ Influenza: Preparing for the Unknown,” Ukrainian Medical Association of North America, Ukrainian American Cultural Center of New Jersey, 973-585-7175

April 23 Lecture by Oleh S. Ilnytzkyj, “Two Stanford, CA Nationalities, Three Cultures: Russians and Ukrainians in the (Russian) Empire,” Stanford University, 650-725-5936

April 25 Film screenings “Radiophobia” by Julio Philadelphia Soto, and “Have You Ever Heard About Vukovar?” by Paolo Borraccetti, 30 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 No. 15 UKEUKELLODEONODEON FOR THE NEXT GENERATION Oleksiy Pecherov: My favorite Washington Wizards rookie by Dmytro Deychakiwsky schools in Ukraine and with my Plast hurtok (troop). Oleksiy has WASHINGTON – This past Ukrainian youth? attended the Ukrainian Festival at St. December, during our Ukrainian Basketball in Ukraine is getting Andrews and visited the Ukrainian School’s St. Nicholas Day, I had a popular now, and getting more inter- School in Washington. great surprise. Our friend Viktor esting. They show games on TV now, On Taras Shevchenko’s birthday, Voloshyn, a diplomat of the Ukrainian and people come more to games. I Oleksiy came and placed flowers at Embassy, walked in with 7-foot-tall like this, so it’s growing up so quick the Shevchenko monument in D.C. Oleksiy Pecherov, the Ukrainian and hopefully next year we are It really makes kids like me happy rookie of the Washington Wizards going to have more fans in Ukrainian to meet an NBA basketball star. Kids NBA basketball team. Oleksiy was basketball. and adults feel proud that Ukraine is really cool and fun to talk to. represented by Oleksiy Pecherov on Oleksiy was born in Donetsk, Who is your favorite and the Washington Wizards. Pecherov, Ukraine, on December 8, 1985, to most inspiring NBA player? No. 14, will definitely help his team parents Vladimir and Olga. When I like Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin to victory, just like he did in Kharkiv Oleksiy was 15 years old, he grew Garnett a lot. Dirk is a European and Kyiv. seven inches in three months during player and he proved to everybody he Wizards Coach Eddie Jordan the summer. Oleksiy played soccer for can play on a high NBA level, and describes Oleksiy as really hard- five years, and he became so tall that it’s a great opportunity for all young working, dedicated and determined. he decided to try basketball. Now he guys to look at him and learn how he That inspires us to work hard to suc- is playing in the NBA. He is a phe- became so successful. ceed. nomenal three-point shooter, and is Thank you Oleksiy. You make us Oleksiy Pecherov in a photo courtesy very good under the basket. Oleksiy What do you do in your proud to be Ukrainian. of the Washington Wizards. plays center and power forward. In spare time? Ukraine, he currently makes his I’m like everybody; basketball is a home in Kharkiv. big part of my life. I spend 70 per- Oleksiy played for BC Polytekhnik cent of my life traveling and practic- Kharkiv in 2003-2004, then for the ing basketball. The rest of the time I BC Kyiv Ukrainian team, leading it read books, watch movies, walk to the superleague semifinals. In around, so it’s not so special. 2006 he was drafted by the Washington Wizards as the 18th Which games do you prefer, overall pick in the first round of the home or away games? NBA draft. He played with the I prefer home – it’s you know, a lot Wizards’ 2007 summer league, of fans at games. They scream and including three Eurocup 2007 it’s a lot of fun; you feel more com- games. He also played for Paris fortable at home. But on the road it’s Basket Racing in 2005-2006. a great opportunity to see the new On Sunday, March 2, a small cities and states and it’s interesting, group of young Ukrainian scouts from it’s good. Plast attended the Washington What do you miss about Wizards vs. New Orleans Hornets Ukraine? basketball game, which the Wizards won 101-84. Oleksiy, who recently I really miss mostly people, my Oleksiy Pecherov and Dmytro Deychakiwsky. recovered from an ankle fracture, is home, my language, but mostly I now getting more playing time. miss my family and close friends. like During the first half, he scored sever- And I miss Ukrainian food, there are not really many Ukrainian al three-pointers in the last two min- restaurants in Washington. But it is utes. good that here in America and in We had a chance to meet Oleksiy Washington there is a Ukrainian before the game, and Oleksiy was community, like the churches. The kind enough to let me interview him. festival, it was a good surprise for me. *** Like I came here to the monument to How popular is basketball in Taras Shevchenko and met some more Ukrainian people. Dmytro Deychakiwsky, 14, of North Potomac, Md., is an eighth *** grader at Cabin John Middle Oleksiy is already part of our School. He is an active member of Ukrainian community. He and Mr. Plast Ukrainian Scouting Voloshyn, a Ukrainian diplomat, have Organization and attends the Taras become friends. Viktor often visits Shevchenko School of Ukrainian our Ukrainian school, drove up with Studies of Washington, D.C. Dmytro us to Soyuzivka this fall for the Plast loves basketball and football. Orlykiada, and has gone hiking with Oleksiy Pecherov meets a group of Plast members. No. 15 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 31 New York City Plast hosts 56th annual masquerade party NEW YORK – The New York City branch of Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization held its 56th “Novatska Kostiumivka” (masquerade party) for chil- dren on Sunday, March 9, at St George School Auditorium. Over 35 Plast novaky and novachky (boy and girl cub scouts age 6 -11) had roles in the story of “Little Red Riding Hood.” Many other Ukrainian children also attended and had fun. Maria Tokarska had the main role of Little Red Riding Hood, Oleksa Martiniuk played the wolf, and Viktoria Yavna played the grandmother. Plast cub scouts acted out roles as mice, butterflies, flowers, mush- rooms, raccoons, bears and hunters. A spe- cial welcome was passed on from Eustachia Hoydysh, who initiated the tra- dition of “Kostiumivky” and wrote and directed most of the stories around which they revolved over the years. Seen on the right is the entire cast of “Little Red Riding Hood,” or “Chervona Shapochka” in Ukrainian. Laryssa Czebiniak

Connecticut high-schooler Mishanyna helps Children of Chornobyl This month’s Mishanyna is compiled to mark the beginning of playoffs for the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup. Hidden Chris Shaker is a student at Darien and Development Fund also encour- in the Mishanyna grid below you will find the last names of High School in Darien, Conn. The article ages communities to raise money prominent Ukrainian players, both past and present, in the below appeared on January 8 in the through community events like online edition of NEIRAD (Darien spelled NHL. backwards). The article is based on the marathons and athletic competitions. author’s interview with CCRDF officials. The proceeds help buy equipment to Dave ANDREYCHUK Ruslan FEDOTENKO Darryl SYDOR It is republished here as an example of treat cancer, heart problems, compro- Mike BOSSY Dmitri KHRISTICH Keith TKACHUK what youths beyond the Ukrainian mised immune systems and assist Johnny BOWER Bill MOSIENKO Walter TKACZUK American community are doing to help children born without arms and legs. Ukraine’s children. Today many babies are also born with Johnny BUCYK Alexei PONIKAROVSKY Vitali VISHNEVSKI thyroid cancer and leukemia. Ken DANEYKO Terry SAWCHUK Travis ZAJAC by Chris Shaker The Chornobyl nuclear power plant Eddie SHACK DARIEN, Conn. – Darien High disaster occurred in Ukraine in 1986. School students can help victims of The meltdown released radioactive the Chornobyl nuclear disaster just by materials into the environment that logging on to GoodSearch.com. The were scattered throughout Europe. Children of Chornobyl Relief and The Soviet government tried to mini- Development Fund (CCRDF) will mize the damage by pouring sand and receive money each time a computer concrete at ground zero and then user visits this charitable website. burying everything within a one-mile “The youth can do a lot to help,” radius. Alexa Milanytch said. “It’s just get- There were evacuations of 116,000 ting the community to work together people in 1986 and another 230,000 to raise money.” Ms. Milanytch is a people the subsequent year. Many leader in this fund-raising effort to people within a 30-kilometer radius treat infants born with birth defects in were immediately subjected to small Ukraine. radiation doses. Many recovery work- “The simplest way a student at ers received acute radiation sickness; Darien High School can help is to log two died within two hours of the melt- on to GoodSearch. Every time they down. search something a penny is donated It is estimated that approximately to our cause,” Ms. Milanytch said. 4,000 radiation-related cancer deaths Believe it or not, this seemingly minor may be attributed to Chornobyl over task can add up to big bucks. CCRDF the lifetime of the 200,000 emergency has the potential to raise $73,000 workers, 116,000 evacuees and each year from the GoodSearch efforts 270,000 residents living in heavily if 10,000 people make two searches contaminated areas. per day. Consider helping the children of “It’s just as good as Google – actu- Chornobyl by organizing a fund-raiser ally even better since money is raised in the community or just simply by UKELODEON is published on the second Sunday of every month. To make it for a really good cause,” junior Tally logging on to GoodSearch.com. Ten into our next issue, dated May 11, please send in your materials by May 3. Thoren said. seconds of your time can add up to a Call us at 973-292-9800; or send e-mail to [email protected]. The Children of Chornobyl Relief big difference for a child in Ukraine. 32 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008 No. 15

Soyuzivka’s Datebook PREVIEW OF EVENTS Thursday, April 17 Center of New Jersey, 60 N. Jefferson Road, Whippany, NJ 07981. Admission is May 10 – Private evening affair June 30 - July 4 – Exploration Day NEW YORK: The April event of the $40 per person (over age 21). Featured Camp session 2 Ukrainian Film Club of Columbia will be door prizes, plus Rose City May 11 – Mother’s Day brunch University will mark the anniversary of Belgium chocolates, food stations provid- July 10 - 13 – Soyuzivka Cultural the Chornobyl nuclear disaster and remind ed by Caffe Navona Italian Restaurant, May 24 – Memorial Day weekend Festival Weekend the public that the problem of Chornobyl Clay Oven Indian Restaurant and Official Soyuzivka Reopening has yet to be resolved. The club will Bennigan’s – Parsippany, as well as home- Kino-Q film Festival July 13 -18 – Heritage Camp screen the deeply moving documentary by made Ukrainian dishes. For ticket infor- Friday – Matthew Dubas session 1 Spanish director Julio Soto “Radiophobia” mation call 973-479-8715 or 973-713- Saturday – Zabava with Hrim (2005). Entirely shot in the forbidden zone 6956; e-mail [email protected]; or Sunday – music by Walter July 13 - 19 – Discovery / Cultural around the ruined reactor, the film exam- log on to www.uaccnj.org. Mosiurak and friend Camp ines the Chornobyl disaster and its conse- quences 20 years later from the perspec- tive of a group of survivors and people Saturday, April 19 May 31 – New Ukrainian Wave July 20 - 25 – Heritage Camp who were on duty at the reactor on the Convention session 2 NEW YORK: The Shevchenko Scientific fateful April night of 1986. This is the first Society invites all to a memorial program time that they return to the site of the honoring Dr. John Fizer (1925-2007), pro- June 2 - 5 – Stamford Diocese July 20 - 26 – Sitch Sports Camp tragedy to reconcile their past with the fessor of literature at Rutgers University, clergy retreat days session 1 ruins of the present. The screening is noted literary theoretician and an honorary scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at 516 Hamilton doctor of the National University of Kyiv June 7 – Wedding July 20 - August 2 – Roma Pryma Hall, Columbia University. The film will Mohyla Academy. Dr. Fizer was a full Bohachevsky Dance Camp session be screened in its original Ukrainian and member of the Shevchenko Scientific June 8 - 13 – Seniors’ Week 1; recital Saturday, August 2 Russian-language version with the narra- Society and served on its governing board tive and subtitles in English. The event is for many years. He was also a full member June 14 – Wedding July 27 – August 2 – Sitch Sports free and open to the public. Details are of the Ukrainian Academy of Arts and available at www.columbia.edu/cu/ufc. Camp session 2 Sciences in the U.S. The program will fea- June 15 – Father’s Day luncheon ture an introduction by Dr. Orest WHIPPANY, N.J.: The Ukrainian Popovych, a tribute by Dr. Larissa and cultural program July 27 - 31 – Adoptive Ukrainian American Youth Association (UAYA) and Onyshkevych and a photofilm by Prof. Children and Parents Heritage Lys Sports Academy are sponsoring a Vasyl Lopukh. It will take place at the soci- June 21 – Wedding Camp session co-sponsored by wine, spirits, chocolate and food tasting at Ukrainian Embassy 6-9 p.m. at Ukrainian American Cultural (Continued on page 26) June 22 - 29 – Tabir Ptashat session 1 August 3 – 16 – Roma Pryma June 23 - 27 – Exploration Day Bohachevsky Dance Camp session 2 Camp session 1 PREVIEW OF EVENTS GUIDELINES August 9 – Miss Soyuzivka Preview of Events is a listing of Ukrainian community events open to the public. It June 22 - July 3 – Tennis Camp Weekend and traditional events is a service provided at minimal cost ($20 per listing) by The Ukrainian Weekly to the Ukrainian community. June 28 - 29 – USCAK Tennis August 16 – Roma Pryma Listings of no more than 100 words (written in Preview format) plus payment should Tournament Bohachevsky Dance Camp session be sent a week prior to desired date of publication to: Preview of Events, The Ukrainian 2 recital Weekly, 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054; fax, (973) 644-9510; e-mail June 29 - July 12 – Roma Pryma [email protected]. Bohachevsky Dance Workshop August 17 - 23 – Joseph’s School of Dance (Ballroom Dance Camp) June 29 - July 6 – Tabir Ptashat session 2 August 25 – September 1 – Labor Day Week and traditional events

To book a room or event call: (845) 626-5641, ext. 140 216 Foordmore Road P.O. Box 529 Kerhonkson, NY 12446 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.Soyuzivka.com

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