Іі8Ьвд by the Ukrainian National Association Inc.. a fraternal non-profit associ«tiori| rainianWeekl У Vol. LXI ШNo. 20 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 16, 1993 50 cents NEWS ANALYSIS: Talbott visit signals sea change in U.S.-Ukraine ties Personnel shifts in by Marta Kolomayets weapons) is not the only issue," Mr. by the two governments; Kyyiv Press Bureau Talbott, ambassador-at-Iarge for Russia • to increase U.S. support of privatiza­ and the newly independent states, told tion efforts in Ukraine; Ukraine s Cabinet KYYIV — The recent two-day visit reporters. "What you see in this mission by Ambassador Strobe Talbott to • to discuss the implications of the is a very concrete indication of how seri­ Tokyo G-7 meeting and its effects on by Serhiy Dmytrychenko Ukraine has signaled a shift in U.S. poli­ ously the Clinton administration takes Ukraine; Intel News cy toward this nation of 52 million, with this relationship," said the ambassador, a • to form a bilateral committee on the United States broadening its relation­ former Time magazine columnist. KYYIV — The Ukrainian economic defense conversion; ship to include economic, defense and But, he added that Ukrainian officials crisis, which has been worsening since foreign policy issues. • to extend an invitation to Gen. with whom he had met during his Morozov from U.S. Defense Secretary the beginning of the year, is approaching "This visit demonstrates that a new Monday, May 10, meetings had assured Les Aspin and to establish a bilateral a critical stage. Anti-crisis measures independent state and a new administra­ him Ukraine would ratify START I and working group on defense cooperation. taken by Prime Minister Leonid tion in Washington have been able to accede to the NPT. • The U.S. also proposed that it serve Kuchma's government and the reaction turn over a new leaf in their relations," to these by government structures illus­ Perhaps in an effort to entice the as a facilitator in the complex relations said President Bill Clinton's special trates that one of the sources of instabili­ Ukrainian Parliament to do this as quick­ that exist between Ukraine and Russia. envoy during a news conference on ty is the crisis in the administrative sys­ ly as possible, the Talbott delegation "If this is acceptable to both sides, Monday afternoon, May 10. tem. came prepared to offer some incentives that is to Kyyiv and Moscow, we would Scandal erupted in the upper echelons Over the past few months, relations to the Ukrainians. like to use the fact that we have good of the executive branch practically from between Ukraine and the United States During the Monday meetings with relations with both Ukraine and Russia, the very beginning of the new Cabinets' had soured because Ukraine viewed U.S. Deputy Prime Minister Viktor and we would like to ameliorate the situ­ tenure. policy as strong-arming to rush the Pynzenyk, Defense Minister Konstantyn ation," said Mr. Talbott. Ukrainian Parliament into ratifying Morozov, Foreign Minister Anatoliy These scandals included the intrigue START I and acceding to the Nuclear Zlenko, Deputy Foreign Minister Borys Mr. Tarasiuk noted, after the press around the competition for the design of Non-Proliferation Treaty. However, U.S. Tarasiuk, Supreme Council Deputy conference, that a U.S. intermediary role the new Chornobyl sarcophagus, where policy seemed to backfire as a growing Chairman Vasyl Durdynets, Chairman of between Ukraine and Russia was dis­ certain members of the previous govern­ number of parliamentarians expressed the Parliament's Foreign Relations cussed, but that it included "sensitive ment of Prime Minister Vitold Fokin their support of Ukraine as a nuclear Committee Dmytro Pavlychko and other areas" that he was "reluctant to discuss." attempted to sidestep the competition state, and START ratification kept being deputies, Mr. Talbott's delegation decid­ Although no specific U.S. financial and award the contract to a French firm. pushed back on the agenda of the ed the following: aid toward Ukraine was revealed during Another scandal involves the very public the press conference, Mr. Talbott noted Supreme Council. • to develop a charter of U.S.­ dispute between the Ministry of Health that the $175 million appropriated for "One of the important points that we Ukrainian bilateral relations, a document and Parliament's Commission on Health tried to make is that that issue (nuclear that would be signed at the highest levels (Continued on page 16) over the ministry's hard currency expen­ ditures from European Community and German credit lines. An additional scan­ dal exploded after Deputy Prime Ukraine's champions star in figure sicating tour Minister Yuriy Yoffe's committee inves­ tigated the Ministry of Energy and fuel by Andrij Wynnyckyj energy enterprises, particularly and Roma Hadzewycz Ukrnaftokhim and Atomenegro. No EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — On Saturday, May 1, the structure of the executive branch seems lights went out in the arena at Meadowlands, the ice filled with to have escaped disgrace. shadowy forms circling the oval, and into the center floated a This complicated situation has affect­ gentle presence with a ponytail. It was Oksana Baiul of Ukraine, ed key ifigures on Prime Minister the champion of the world in figure skating. Kuchma's team. Observers were sur­ The spotlight fell on her, and the afternoon's program began. prised by the departure of First Deputy Participants of the star-studded, 43-city, 1993 Tour of Worlc( Prime Minister Ihor Yukhnovsky, an Figure Skating Champions (sponsored by Campbell's and pro­ academic of international renown who duced by Tom Collins), include reigning Olympic, and 1992 was a proponent of democratic reform. World Champion Viktor Petrenko; Brasseur and Eisler of Such political organizations as Rukh Canada, current world champions; Brian Boitano of the U.S., immediately ascribed political motives world professional champion; Torville and Dean of Great to this event. Official Rukh statements Britain, 1984 Olympic champions, 1984 and 1990 World on Dr. Yukhnovsky's resignation labeled Champions; the Duchesnays of France, and a host of others. his dismissal a result of pressure from This tour is an extended great moment for Oksana Baiul, sur­ left-wing forces. rounded by a constellation of the sport's best creative innovators, Dr. Yukhnovsky was appointed on the technicians, and powerful athletes. She even gets to skate with recommendation of Rukh, and Rukh's her idol, Jill Trenary of the U.S, the 1990 world champion. political enemies on the left would wel­ Asked after the show what she thought of many of the profes­ come his removal. sionals returning to active competition, Ms. Baiul replied: "I Some Fvukh leaders such as Valery have watched many of them on TV, I have watched them on IvasJuk, linked Dr. Yukhnovsky's resig­ videocassettes. I love the way they skate, they skate so profes­ nation to the decision by the govern-. sionally and beautifully. The fact that they're returning to com­ men:'s hard currency council, which Dr. petition actually makes me very happy. Quite simply, I learned Yuknnovsky headed, to publicly rebuke from them. That I will be competing with them as equals is Health Minister Yuriy Spizhenko for thrilling beyond words." irregularities in the Handling of hard cur­ The first half of the -program contained many highlights, such rency. Dr. Spizhenko is known to have as the lyrical elegance of China's Lu Chen, the creative brilliance powerful allies in the government. of Canada's Gary Beacom, Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner Others, including the directors of key (Continued oil page 12) (Continued on page 10) In the spotiight: Ukraine's Oksana BaiuL THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MAY 16, 1993 No. 20 RESEARCH REPORT: The shaping Newsbriefs of Ukrainian attitudes on nukes on Ukraine by Bohdan Nahaylo point of view of guaranteeing the securi­ RFE/RL Research Institute ty and external political interests of Ukraine, the entire range of issues con­ Parliament blocks price increases already existing between Germany and PARTV nected with Ukraine's nuclear disarma­ Poland and Czecho-Slovakia, and others ment, in particular the economic, finan­ •KYYIV — The Supreme Council between Poland and Ukraine and Poland Parliament signals reservations cial, ecological and organizational ones. has adopted a resolution blocking price and Russia. Some opposition party mem­ increases until it hears a report on the But an even more serious challenge to bers oppose ratification because of a When the Ukrainian Pariiament final­ economy from the Cabinet of Ministers the existing official policy appeared to stipulation which sets current borders ly got around to debating this and other on May 18. Ukrainian TV reported on be contained in Point 6, in which the and rejects any right to past claims. military issues on April 8, the opposition May 6 that the legislators criticized the Parliament called on the Ukrainian gov­ Transcarpathia's Association of Rusyns to unilateral nuclear disarmament was government's economic performance ernment to submit for ratification the has also voiced its opposition because of quite evident. Participants in the debate and were incensed at the proposed price agreements concerning nuclear weapons argued that it was folly to hand over increases scheduled to go into effect on the border stipulation reported that had been signed at the CIS meetings nuclear weapons to a state that posed a May 10. The government argues that the Nepszabadsag. (RFE/RL Daily Reports) in Alma-Ata on December 21 and in threat to Ukraine, and that because the price increases are necessitated by steep Serbians abusing Ukrainian minority Minsk on December 30, 1991, as well as republic was voluntarily giving up its increases in the cost of energy. (RFE/RL the CIS agreement on the status of •KYYIV — Ukraine on Tuesday nuclear weapons, it was entided to inter­ Daily Report) national guarantees of its security.