The Ukrainian Weekly 2003, No.9
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www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE:• International moot court competition in Kyiv — page 3. • Walter Duranty: “liar for a cause” — page 6. • A new field for collectors: Ukraine’s telephone cards — centerfold. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXXI HE KRAINIANNo. 9 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 2, 2003 EEKLY$1/$2 in Ukraine ReactionT to proposedU budget cuts Four presidentsW agree to develop for radios focuses on poor timing blueprint for economic integration by Andrew Nynka the initiative for the cuts to VOA and by Roman Woronowycz The announcement called for a working Radio Liberty came as a result of the Kyiv Press Bureau group of representatives of the four govern- PARSIPPANY, N.J. – While the U.S. budgetary process. Specifically, she said, ments to agree by July on a manner “to Congress prepares to review President KYIV – The presidents of four former develop a single, independent interstate reg- George W. Bush’s budget for Fiscal Year a decision was made during discussions Soviet republics, including Ukraine and between the BBG and the White House ulatory commission for trade and tariffs.” 2004, reactions to the news that the budg- Russia, announced in Moscow on February The end result of the negotiations would be et would include significant funding cuts Office of Management and Budget. The 23 that they had agreed to develop a plan spokeswoman, Joan Mower, said the cuts the creation of an Organization of Regional to U.S. broadcasts to Ukraine have been for economic integration and much closer Integration among the four states. to Eastern and Central European broad- cooperation, which would begin with the staunchly negative. Much of that reac- President Lukashenka said the primary cast services reflect a shift in U.S. foreign establishment of a free trade zone. tion, from groups inside Washington and purpose behind the decision was to protect policy priorities toward targeting the In a highly unexpected announcement, Ukraine, is sheer disbelief at the timing the economies of the four countries and to Middle East and Southeast Asia. the four leaders – Presidents Leonid of the move – a year before the next stimulate economic growth by developing Ms. Mower also said that a review of Kuchma of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin of Ukrainian presidential election. trade. programming hours of VOA and Radio Russia, Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakstan Several organizations and representa- “It is necessary to give complete freedom Liberty service by the BBG revealed that and Alyaksandr Lukashenka of Belarus – tives of government in Ukraine and the to the flow of goods among our countries,” the scaled-down programming would still said at the conclusion of a summit in United States have begun lobbying the said President Lukashenka of Belarus, be substantial enough to fulfill the BBG’s Moscow that they had gone beyond the stat- Broadcasting Board of Governors, the according to Interfax-Ukraine. body responsible for U.S. non-military mission in Ukraine. Journalists familiar ed intention of the meeting, which was to with Ukraine have said that cutting fund- firm up plans for a free trade zone for the While Kazakstan’s President Nazarbayev international broadcasting outlets such as said the decision had not been made as Voice of America and Radio Free ing does not create a level playing field region of the Commonwealth of for all the political forces in Ukraine. Independent States, and had agreed to devel- spontaneously as it would seem and was not Europe/Radio Liberty, to leave Ukrainian intended to replace the CIS, Ukraine’s service programming at its current level, Several individuals familiar with inter- op a single economic space. All four states national radio programming and the were once part of the Soviet Union and President Kuchma explained that the point while others argue that programming was to integrate the four economies into a hours, if anything, should be increased. political climate in Ukraine said that the gained independence just over a decade ago. Ukraine services of VOA and Radio In a statement read by President regional power that could effectively com- In a statement on the budget request, pete in the age of globalization. Liberty should be increased with the Kuchma, who was recently elected the BBG Chairman Kenneth Tomlinson said Perhaps to deflect possible perceptions presidential election in Ukraine looming chairman of the CIS Council of Heads of U.S. international broadcasting was shift- that this was a Russia-led initiative to only a year away and they added that the States, the leaders announced that they had ing its priorities due to the U.S. campaign shrewdly rebuild empire, President Putin cuts would be improper and poorly agreed to: “begin talks on measures neces- on terrorism. He said $30 million in remained restrained and in the background timed. sary for the formation of a common eco- start-up funds for an Arabic-language during the announcement. During a brief In a statement to VOA staff, Mr. nomic space,” which are to be completed by satellite television network would “repre- statement he underscored that the commit- sent an important step toward reaching Tomlinson said the victory in the Cold September 2003 and result in the develop- ment of an agreement on creation of com- tee that would develop the ideas proposed the people in the Arab world with accu- War was a direct result of VOA broad- by the four presidents would sit in Kyiv, not rate news and the message of freedom casts to Eastern and Central Europe. He mon economic policy, harmonization of rel- evant legislation and creation of an inter- Moscow, and would be headed by a mem- and democracy.” said that “the goal these services strug- ber from the Kazak delegation. Regarding the reduction to Eastern and governmental regulatory commission on Central European broadcasting services, (Continued on page 11) trade and tariffs.” (Continued on page 17) Mr. Tomlinson said, “the budget means an end to most Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty broad- Scholars discuss controversial decrees by Kuchma and Putin casting to the democracies of Eastern Europe where free speech is practiced by Yaro Bihun Stalin period and dispersed Ukraine’s and where the process of joining the Special to The Ukrainian Weekly writers, poets, artists and other dissi- NATO alliance is under way.” dents to the far reaches of the Soviet However, concern over the cuts appar- WASHINGTON – A series of recent gulag. “ukazes” by Ukrainian President Leonid ently stems from the belief that, in fact, There were protests and petitions free speech is not a reality in Ukraine. Kuchma and his Russian counterpart signed in Ukraine and abroad, and on Since the Committee to Protect have stirred up a hornets’ nest in January 30, overshadowed by two- Journalists placed Ukrainian President Ukraine and its Western diaspora. weeks of politically important U.S.- Leonid Kuchma on its 1999 list of the There were decrees proclaiming “The world’stop 10 enemies of the press, Year of Ukraine in Russia” and “The Ukrainian meetings in Washington, experts agree that Ukraine has actually Year of Russia in Ukraine,” establishing these issues were discussed during an regressed. Many cite the murder of coordinating committees and appropri- academic seminar at the Woodrow prominent journalists, the recently ate programs to mark the 350th anniver- Wilson International Center for revealed use of “temnyky,” or govern- sary of the Council of Pereiaslav, which Scholars, a few blocks down ment directives issued to the media in “reunited” Ukraine with Russia, and a Pennsylvania Avenue from the White order to influence editorial decisions, and joint Russian-Ukrainian government House. protests by journalists who themselves commission to “harmonize” the history The seminar, featuring Dr. Frank say they are being impeded by the gov- texts used in both countries. Sysyn, the director of the Peter Jacyk ernment as evidence of the fact. And if, after all that, there was a hor- Center for Ukrainian Historical “This decision [to cut Ukrainian radio net or two still asleep in the nest, there Research at the Canadian Institute of services] will adversely affect the United was the ukaz (decree) calling on Ukrainian Studies (CIUS), and Dr. States’ ability to deliver an independent Ukrainians to mark the 85th birthday of Sergei Zhuk, a research scholar at the outlet of information to the people of Volodymyr Shcherbytsky, the former Kennan Institute, focused primarily on Dr. Frank Sysyn Ukraine, particularly as they prepare for First Secretary of the Communist Party the issue of the Russian and Ukrainian Both the American-Canadian-trained the upcoming presidential elections in of Ukraine, now deceased, remembered governments trying to “harmonize” historian Dr. Sysyn and the Ukrainian- 2004,” members of the Congressional primarily for the brutality with which he their history textbooks. The discussants, Russian-American-trained Dr. Zhuk Ukrainian Caucus said in a letter clamped down on any remnant of however, commented on the other (Continued on page 3) addressed to Mr. Tomlinson. Ukrainian cultural revival in the post- decrees as well. A spokeswoman for the BBG said that 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 2, 2003 No. 9 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Is the United States ready Kyiv upbeat on economic growth Belarus and Kazakstan on their inten- tion to create such a trade bloc. to deal with Leonid Kuchma? KYIV – First Vice Prime Minister According to Mr. Orel, the four