www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • Ukraine’s ‘Joint Address to NATO Secretary General’ — page 3. • International Ukrainian soccer tourney in Australia — page 9. • Pysanka symposium to be held in Washington, D.C. — page 22. HE KRAINIAN EEKLY T PublishedU by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profitW association Vol. LXXVI No. 4 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, 2008 $1/$2 in Ukraine Freedom House Ukraine seeks NATO Membership Action Plan by Illya M. Labunka reports freedom Kyiv Press Bureau KYIV – “We will be forced to use appropriate measures.” is on the decline That was the Russian Foreign Ministry’s initial reaction to Ukraine’s latest bid toward European and Trans-Atlantic integra- by Andrew Tully tion. RFE/RL Newsline President Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia 2007 was a bad year for freedom, accord- Tymoshenko and Verkhovna Rada Chair Arseniy Yatsenyuk on ing to a prominent rights-advocacy organi- January 15 issued a “Joint Address to the NATO Secretary zation that has registered a global decline in General” asking that Ukraine join the NATO Membership political rights and civil liberties for the sec- Action Plan (MAP) at the upcoming NATO summit scheduled ond consecutive year. for April in Bucharest. In its annual “Freedom of the World” The bold foreign policy announcement declaring Ukraine’s report released on January 17 the New readiness to advance to the next level of NATO-Ukraine cooper- York-based group Freedom House found ation, which was signed on January 11 but made public on that one-fifth of the 193 countries it studied January 15, is a clear sign of Ukraine’s long-awaited unified suffered setbacks last year. None of the political leadership at the highest levels. states that earned the lowest designation, The joint statement issued by Ukraine’s top three government “not free,” in 2006 showed any improve- officials has drawn praise as well as criticism, both within ment last year, and it was the first time in the domestic circles and those abroad. report’s 15-year history that a two-year “Due to the fact that our [Russia’s] relations with NATO are decline had been recorded. very challenging at present, I am not certain the alliance will The former Soviet republics were among extend an invitation to Ukraine,” stated Dimitri Rogozin, the worst performers, with parliamentary Russia’s permanent representative at NATO. elections late in the year in Russia, rated In addition, a country’s entry into an international alliance, “not free,” highlighting the perilous environ- and particularly a military one, suggests that it is ready to forego UNIAN/Oleksander Prokopenko Ukraine’s Vice Prime Minister Hryhorii Nemyria, speaking at ment in the region’s most influential state. part of its sovereignty and relinquish its right to decide issues a press conference on January 18, presents the “Joint Address “It’s fair to say that freedom is seriously concerning defense, security, military and foreign policy, cau- to the NATO Secretary General” signed by President Viktor lacking in this region or unit, that is to say tioned Mr. Rogozin. Mr. Rogozin said he believes that Ukraine’s entry into NATO would have a negative effect and would ruin Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and the former Soviet Union,” Freedom House the military manufacturing sector currently in place between Verkhovna Rada Chairman Arseniy Yatsenyuk. Director of Studies Chris Walker told Russia and Ukraine. RFE/RL. “Of the 12 non-Baltic former In a clear indication of Russia’s economic and security con- tors of both countries have tight relations, because a large num- Soviet republics, seven of those are assessed cerns, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on January 23 ber of our plants date back to the Soviet days and manufacture by Freedom House as ‘not free,’ four are indicated that current relations with Ukraine, particularly in the hardware which can only be produced jointly,” stated Mr. ‘partly free,’ and one is ‘free’ [Ukraine]. So, military-industrial sector, would now directly depend on it’s a very challenging landscape for free- Ukraine’s relationship with NATO. “The military-industrial sec- (Continued on page 8) dom in that part of the world.” Belarus, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are among the “worst of the worst” coun- tries in the world in terms of human rights, and are joined on the list of “not free” coun- Ukraine on verge of obtaining WTO membership tries by Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. Two countries looked upon as examples by Illya M. Labunka who took part in the negotiations and all “This is a lot of work, which Ukraine of positive democratic change, Georgia and Kyiv Press Bureau of us, with such a successful compro- must fulfill as part of its overall Kyrgyzstan, both rated “partly free,” took mise,” said Mr. Mendelsohn. European integration plan, said Mr. KYIV – Ukraine may soon become the steps backward – with Russia’s influence in President Viktor Yushchenko said he is Yushchenko. The president said that World Trade Organization’s (WTO) obstructing reforms being noted in the case optimistic about Ukraine’s imminent Ukraine needs to create an appropriate 152nd member state. A final decision of Kyrgyzstan. admission to the WTO. During a meeting infrastructure within the government, in regarding Ukraine’s membership in the “There were big hopes for Kyrgyzstan of the National Security and Defense the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and rep- organization is scheduled to take place and Georgia that if new people came to Council (NSDC), Mr. Yushchenko said resentative offices in various internation- during the WTO’s General Council meet- power, then [the new governments] would that all formal talks regarding the WTO al organizations. “We need to do every- ing in Geneva slated for the first week of apply democratic principles by their actions are complete and underscored that he has thing so that all negotiations would be February. and pressure [on the opposition] would no doubt that Ukraine will soon receive finalized in 2008. This is a key strategy On January 16, during negotiations in stop,” Ilim Karypbekov, director of the direct WTO membership. of ours,” continued Mr. Yushchenko. Media Representative Institute in London, the European Union (EU) and “This will provide Ukraine’s govern- According to the president, Ukraine’s Kyrgyzstan, tells RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service. Ukraine finalized an agreement on export ment leaders the opportunity to engage in membership in the WTO is a legal win- “However, if you look at Georgia, protest tariffs, in principle eliminating the last direct dialogue with members of the dow of opportunity for Ukraine to engage rally participants were beaten up again,” Mr. major hurdle between Ukraine and the global market economy,” said the presi- with the business community on all con- Karypbekov continued. “At the same time, WTO. dent. tinents. This will increase the country’s international observer missions showed that According to EU Trade Commissioner The next necessary step for Ukraine is GDP and stimulate all sectors of its econ- the [Georgian presidential] election was Peter Mendelsohn, since the EU has lift- to engage the EU in negotiations regard- omy. held under enormous pressure [on the oppo- ed its last barrier for Ukraine to achieve ing the creation of a free-trade zone, said U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William sition] and with the use of administrative WTO status, there no longer are any for- the president. The preparatory phase of Taylor said he is convinced that Ukraine resources. The same happened in mal legal reasons to impede Ukraine’s such talks has already been undertaken. will soon be a member of the WTO. Kyrgyzstan’s [early parliamentary elections admission. Ukraine has agreed to reduce Ukraine has a series of questions and According to Mr. Taylor, Ukraine’s mem- in December 2007].” the number of existing export tariffs and issues for discussion, Ukraine has a clear bership in the WTO will steer Ukraine Joining Kyrgyzstan and Georgia among promised not to increase them in the negotiating plan, as well as an official into Europe and will have a positive the former Soviet republics considered future, according to Mr. Mendelsohn. announcement by both the EU and effect on Ukraine’s economy. “partly free” were Armenia and Moldova. “This is a very historic day, a very Ukraine as to the timeframe of when Sen. Richard Lugar, the senior important breakthrough, and I want to such talks will begin, Mr. Yushchenko (Continued on page 5) congratulate the Ukrainian participants explained. (Continued on page 8) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, 2008 No. 4 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFSNEWSBRIEFS Yushchenko strives to dominate Deputies’ immunity still an issue demanding that Rada Chairman Arseniy Yatsenyuk withdraw his signature from KYIV – President Viktor Yushchenko Ukraine’s request for a NATO government led by Tymoshenko said on January 22 that the Verkhovna Membership Action Plan, RFE/RL’s Rada during its ongoing session should by Pavel Korduban boost his powers at the expense of the Ukrainian Service reported. President pass a draft bill abolishing national Viktor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia Eurasia Daily Monitor prime minister because Mr. Yanukovych deputies’ immunity from prosecution, Tymoshenko and Mr. Yatsenyuk recently held the majority in Parliament. Now the RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service reported. The political honeymoon between sent a letter to NATO Secretary-General situation is different, as Mr. Yushchenko’s Viacheslav Kyrylenko of the Our Ukraine Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, formally request- Our Ukraine – People’s Self-Defense bloc – People’s Self-Defense (OU-PSD) bloc and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko ing to take the step toward NATO mem- (OU-PSD) is part of the parliamentary and Ivan Kyrylenko of the Yulia appears to be over.