1NS1DE: - ^ Countdown to election day in Ukraine - page 2. l ' f e Pre-election opinions from Dnipropetrovske - page 3. І ^ Minister of sport comments on Ukraine's Olympic showing - page 9-І 1 -п^Стшт -"^ THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY Published by the Ukrainian National Association inc., a fraternal non-profit association vol. LXII No. 12 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 20,1994 50 cents Nixon comes calling in Kyyiv Ukrainian president invalidates stresses Ukraine's vital importance' referendum on Crimea's status by Marta Kolomayets "1 wish my schedule would permit by Marta Kolomayets plebiscite, it includes questions on dual cit– Kyyiv Press Bureau this, to meet with opposition leaders. Kyyiv Press Bureau izenship and the adaptation of a Crimean And, 1 received a letter from Mr. Constitution, which was passed in May KYYiv - Former U.S. President KYYiv - President Leonid Kravchuk Kravchuk indicating that 1 should do so," 1992 and repealed three month later. Richard Nixon called on Ukrainian annulled the Crimean referendum late he added. "We would not have had a "it is proposed that citizens of the President Leonid Kravchuk during a Tuesday evening, March 15, calling the Yeltsin incident here in Ukraine," he told Crimea answer questions concerning the brief visit to Kyyiv on Wednesday, action unconstitutional. reporters who met with him and Mr. basis of Ukraine's Constitution, relations March 16. Slated for the same day as parliamen– Kravchuk after their closed meeting. between the Crimea and Ukraine and the During a one-hour meeting with the tary elections in Ukraine - Sunday, At the airport, Mr. Nixon said: "1 did right of Crimeans to dual citizenship Ukrainian leader, Mr. Nixon discussed March 27 - the plebiscite, ordered on something in Russia that no one has (Ukrainian and Crimean)", read the decree. Ukrainian-U.S. relations, Ukrainian- March 10 by newly elected Crimean done, something that 1 have not done in "These are questions under the jurisdiction Russian relations, as well as the progress president Yuriy Meshkov, was to ask cit– my 10 visits to the Soviet Union. І met of the Parliament of Ukraine," it said. of economic reforms in this country izens questions regarding the broadening with every opposition leader; 1 covered However, President Kravchuk said on besieged by economic hardship. of the region's autonomy. everybody, it is very important in a Thursday, March 17, that he does not "1 consider Ukraine, its independence democracy not just to meet with the lead– A Ukrainian presidential decree to be vitally important. І therefore want intend to use force to resolve problems in ers in power," he explained. released on Tuesday evening was a move the Crimea and cautioned that if a refer– to find out from Mr. Kravchuk what the to halt such an opinion poll, although Mr. Mr. Nixon also told reporters during a endum is held there on March 27 it will prospects are for economic reform, eco– Meshkov has appealed to the 2.7 million 20-minute impromptu press conference carry no legal weight. nomic progress and his analysis of cur- that he considers Russia's policy toward citizens of this peninsula (70 percent of rent Russian-Ukrainian relations, which І Ukraine to be more aggressive since par– whom are Russian) to take part in the (Continued on page 9) understand is very difficult," said the 81- !iamentary elections held there last year-old former chief executive after he December. landed at Boryspil Airport on Wednesday "1 do not mean that most of the lead– morning. ers in Russia today go along with the Arriving from Moscow, where he extreme - Zhirinovsky and others. But, spent a week talking to opposition lead– there is no doubt that there will be in the ers about Russia's political and econom– future occasions when the United States ic future but was denied a meeting with will look at both Russia and Ukraine, Russian Federation President Boris and ask which it should choose," he Yeltsin, Mr. Nixon said he regretted that said. he would not have time to meet with The survival of economic and political Ukraine's opposition forces. freedom in Russia and Ukraine is a vital foreign policy interest in the United States," he said, adding that President Bill Clinton has asked him to report on Kravchuk cites his trip after he returns to the United States. success of visit He added that he did not share the concern of some who think there may be conflict between the two neighboring to United States states. He said President Kravchuk agreed with his view that there can be a by Roman Woronowycz peaceful resolution to Ukrainian-Russian Showdown over the Crimea: President Leonid Kravchuk cancelled the Crimean Kyyiv Press Bureau troubles. referendum scheduled for March 27 by the autonomous republic's president, "Aggressive foreign policy comes KYYiv - Ukraine's president called Yuriy Meshkov. from situations when a country is having his visit to the United States a complete economic difficulties, if conditions get success and said the two countries have better, there will be less support for now entered a new stage in their relations. extremists such as Zhirinovsky. Russia is 5,802 candidates for 450 seats Speaking on March 11, four days after a great power, but it would not serve KYYiv - The Central Electoral come from various ethnic back- he returned from the U.S. President Russia's interests at the present time to Commission (CEC) has reported on Leonid Kravchuk said, "We have put more on its plate than it already has," grounds, representing 22 different the final list of registered candidates emerged on a new and very clear path. said Mr. Nixon. nationalities. running for parliamentary office in the Relations between Ukraine and the U.S. "An independent, prosperous Ukraine, Mr. Yemets also stated that 89.6 upcoming elections on March 27. are now those of two friendly countries where Ukrainian people enjoy economic percent of the candidates have a uni– There are 5,802 candidates for 450 with similar strategic concerns." and political freedoms, is and should be versity degree, 24.6 percent of these seats in the Supreme Council of During his visit with U.S., President a primary American foreign policy are engineers, 15.8 percent are teach– Ukraine. Bill Clinton, the two signed several eco– objective. And Ukraine's relationship ers or university professors, 10.4 per– nomic and trade agreements. The United with the United States, Russia and its CEC Chairman ivan Yemets said cent are lawyers, 8.5 percent are econ– States agreed to boost its aid to Ukraine other neighbors, all revolve around that that only 1.1 percent of the candidates omists, 6.3 percent have some kind of from S350 million to S700 million. principle," he noted. were nominated by Ukraine's political medical background, 7 percent are Mr. Kravchuk said the U.S. had Mr. Nixon said he spoke with parties, although many who are for– яогпплтіск ^ ПО rw^rw^nt ctr^ irwirn-al– underscored its support for Ukrainian President Clinton before he left for mally running as independents have ists, while 2.16 percent are active in economic and political independence. He Moscow, and Mr. Clinton spoke very і some kind of party affiliation. the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Three also said that he and President Clinton warmly of his visit to Kyyiv. "He has І As regards the ethnic background of percent of the candidates have a Ph.D. agreed that a stable and secure Ukraine is great respect for President Kravchuk," І the candidates, Mr. Yemets stated that or M.A. degree, 43.2 percent speak at important for the strategic balance of said the former president, who has been і 79 percent of the nominees are least one Other foreign language. Europe and the world. to Ukraine on two other occasions. Mr. Ukrainian and 18.06 percent are Russian. The rest of the candidates (Continued on page 10) (Continued on page 9) (Continued on page 14) l 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 20,1994 No. 12 COUNTDOWN TO ELECTlONS^^^^ NEWSBB1EFS Majority of Ukrainian citizens Crimeans push dual citizenship issue anyone and that he considered the Massandra protocol binding, in a related say elections not democratic SYMFEROP1L - On March 11, the story, on March 15, Russian news agen– Crimean Parliament violated Ukrainian cies reported that Ukrainian naval per– KYYiv - The sociological service of date they voted for in the last elections; law by appointing Yevgeniy Saburov, a sonnel seized a naval hospital in Ochakiv the Democratic initiatives center on 13 percent envisioned such a possibility. Russian citizen, as first deputy prime and demanded that its staff take an oath March 11 issued the results of the public Among other statistics, Rukh would minister of the autonomous republic and of allegiance to Ukraine, interfax later head of the peninsula's administration. opinion poll "Ukraine on the eve of elec– receive the greatest percentage of votes quoted a Ukrainian Defense Ministry Mr. Saburov, an economist whose tions: the latest data of all-republican (6.5 percent), the Democratic Party of official who said that on March 10, the appointment is conditional on obtaining public opinion polls." Ukraine - 4.8 percent, if elections were hospital's staff had decided to take the Ukrainian citizenship, said he foresaw it was the third poll conducted in 11 conducted on a proportional system. The oath voluntarily and without incident. "no problems" with securing double citi– regions of Ukraine (including the (RFE7RL Daily Report) powerful bloc of Communists-Socialists zenship if President Leonid Kravchuk Republic of the Crimea) among 1,799 would garner, respectively, 4.7 percent allowed it, but the move and the sugges– Soros to buy RFE archives and institute persons.