Getting a U.S. Visa: Myth Vs Reality Ukrainian Battalion of Experts Ready
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INSIDE:• Kuchma plans to proceed with amending Constitution — page 3. • Perspectives on the Shevchenko anniversary — pages 8-9. • Program at Museum of Modern Art excludes Ukraine — page 14. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXI HE KRAINIANNo. 10 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 9, 2003 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine GettingT a U.S. visa:UUkrainian battalion of experts readyW to deploy in Persian Gulf by Roman Woronowycz myth vs reality Kyiv Press Bureau KYIV – A Ukrainian army battalion that by Roman Woronowycz specializes in the clean-up of chemical, bio- Kyiv Press Bureau logical and nuclear contamination is ready KYIV – Myron Hnatkiv spent to perform what its commander calls nearly four years trying to develop a “humanitarian” or “peacekeeping” work, private farm business. He took parts should war break out in Iraq. However, it from broken-down tractors and com- would be ready for deployment to the bines he found in the former collec- Persian Gulf only after the Verkhovna tive farm depot and patched together Rada’s approval. “As was shown during military exercises working units. He and several rela- [held in December], the special unit is tives then combined their lands into a ready,” said Lt. Gen. Viktor Lytvak, com- single plot in the hope that together mander of the 19th Army Battalion, which they could prod the earth to give them is normally stationed outside of Sambir, sufficient crops for a livable income. Lviv Oblast, and is part of Ukraine’s rapid He also offered his services and his deployment force. machinery for lease to neighbors who During a press conference in Kyiv, Lt. could not afford their own equipment. Gen. Lytvak explained that his troops are in In the end, however, neither the land a state of high readiness and could deploy nor his leasing service provided “even tomorrow.” However, he noted that Ministry of Defense Press Service enough to sustain a normal life. to be on their way the soldiers still would With his two kids soon to enter Soldiers of the 19th Battalion stand alongside an armored vehicle used in han- need a series of vaccinations against dling hazardous substances produced during biological or chemical attacks. high school, Mr. Hnatkiv decided it anthrax and smallpox, which could delay was time to chuck his dream. It was deployment for two to six weeks, as well as However, if the authorization for war comes While they, too, have the technology and time to face reality and join scores of the parliamentary authorization to move from the United Nations, as the United other family men in his village of out. know-how to fight the aftereffects of a Verbiv, Ternopil Oblast, and tens of They also would need to know under States has indicated it would like, then Kyiv nuclear, biological or nuclear attack, thousands more like them in western whose auspices they would serve. would want an invitation from that interna- Ukraine’s battalion has the most extensive Ukraine, and to look abroad for tem- Ukraine agreed in early February to a tional body as well. Also, several other capabilities. Currently the unit consists of porary work to provide for their fami- U.S. request for the utilization of its countries with NBC clean-up capabilities 531 soldiers, none of them conscripts and lies. are under consideration for the operation, nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) all of whom volunteered for service in the He had heard that a firm in Kyiv, clean-up capabilities and the 19th Battalion including Poland, the Czech Republic, with an address on Volodymyrska is ready to make good on that offer. Romania and Bulgaria. (Continued on page 3) Street in one of the city’s most exclu- sive districts, was asking $450 for help in obtaining a job, a visa, shelter and transport to the United States. He was told the agency would pay his Ukraine’s ambassador to U.S. sees new opening in bilateral relations flight and housing costs from the by Yaro Bihun Kyiv on whether it sold the air defense we have tried our best, and we continue money he eventually earned as a Special to The Ukrainian Weekly system to Iraq and not allow the issue to on this path. We know that there are no laborer in the “land of opportunity.” push the relationship into what he called Kolchuhas that Ukraine is responsible for WASHINGTON – Ukraine and the After hearing that several of his a “deep freeze.” in Iraq. We know that there are no con- neighbors had visited the firm in Kyiv United States appear to be turning the Ambassador Gryshchenko said that by tracts, that there are no deliveries, and we and came back impressed with the corner in their bilateral relationship, concentrating on positive bilateral interac- need to establish this as a fact.” possibilities, Mr. Hnatkiv and a buddy which, by most accounts, has been going tion, such as Ukraine’s decision to send a He stressed that the Kolchuha and made the trek to the Ukrainian capital through a difficult period, according to nuclear-biological-chemical (NBC) other unresolved issues must not be to find out for themselves. Ukraine’s ambassador to the United defense battalion to the Gulf region, adopt allowed to remain as a barrier to improv- “When they told me that I needed States, Kostyantyn Gryshchenko. adequate measures against money-launder- ing the bilateral relationship, which is to pay upfront I became suspicious, “Recently, I believe, we have been ing, continue cooperating in the war important not only to the two countries explained the 39-year-old farmer. concentrating more on the positive side against terrorism and in non-proliferation, but to the “dynamics of the political situ- “Then they pointed out that I would, of things to be done, and that should help the two countries can move away from ation in Europe” as well. of course, have to go to the Consulate us to get away from what was the main concentrating on – though not completely “We need to re-establish trust, to myself to obtain the visa, that they theme of problems of the last year and ignoring – the negatives in the relationship. reestablish confidence,” he said. “It can could only help me with what to say,I into the new year of open opportunities,” The recent difficult period in U.S.- only be done through practical steps – knew that something wasn’t right.” he said on February 27. Ukraine relations was “a period of lost practical steps that we have demonstrated Mr. Hnatkiv was luckier than most, Ambassador Gryshchenko’s assess- opportunities,” Ambassador recently.” he did not immediately plop down ment, made in remarks at a forum on Gryshchenko said. It was also a period of Looking over the last 12 years, what would have been a half-year’s U.S.-Ukraine relations sponsored by The “very difficult bilateral debate, of very Ambassador Gryshchenko underscored a income to the shady operators and Washington Group, an association of frank exchanges” that now should serve number of “basic facts” in the U.S.- saved himself the emotional letdown Ukrainian-American professionals, came both countries well as they move forward Ukrainian relationship, among them: of finding out that the U.S. consular two weeks after a senior State on a positive agenda. • United States is an important country office almost certainly would have Department official signaled that One of the lessons learned was that and a major geopolitical force that consis- rejected his application. A consular Washington was willing to put aside the “we cannot hide from problems,” tently supported Ukraine’s independence officer would quickly have seen biggest irritant in their relationship – the Ambassador Gryshchenko said. “If we do and movement toward the West. It was through the canned story that the allegation that Ukraine sold the Kolchuha have a problem, we have to face it, and agency would have prepared for Mr. “crucial in helping us resolve many of the air defense system to Iraq. we have to be frank and open about it, existential problems that we faced in our Hnatkiv. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for because it will not fade away, and we In an interview with The Ukrainian relationship with close neighbors and in European and Eurasian Affairs Steven cannot really run away from it.” setting our goals for the future,” he said. (Continued on page 12) Pifer said then that the Bush administra- “If it is Kolchuha, then we need to get tion decided to “basically disagree” with to the bottom of it,” he said. “And here (Continued on page 16) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 9, 2003 No. 10 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Ukraine begins to deal NEWSBRIEFS Opposition calls for deposing government of two Our Ukraine regional activists – Volodymyr Lavryk in Sumy on February seriously with Soviet past KYIV – A congress of opposition leg- 21 and Vasyl Vasiuta in Mukachiv on islators of all levels in Kyiv on March 2 February 25 – as the latest incidents in by Taras Kuzio Mykhailivskyi Sobor. A presidential decree called on Ukrainians to take part in that terror campaign. (RFE/RL Newsline) RFE/RL Poland, Belarus and Ukraine Report dated November 28, 2002, supported the protests to depose the current ruling call by the Ukrainian diaspora to build a far regime, the UNIAN news service report- Miners strike over wages, reforms On February 12-13, Ukraine for the first bigger monument to the famine in central ed. The congress, which attracted some time held parliamentary hearings on the Kyiv on the 70th anniversary of the famine 2,000 people (including 1,405 opposition KYIV – Miners from about 70 question of the famine of 1932-1933 that this year.