1NS1DE: m G-7 pledges S4 billion to Ukraine - page 2. ^ Clinton administration policy on aid to N1S - page 4. 9 The origins and brief history of Ukrainian soccer - page 8. THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY Published by the Ukrainian National Association inc., a fraternal non-profit association vol. LXII No. 29 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY i7,1994 75 cents UKRAINE ELECTS LEONTO KUCHMA PRESIDENT Eastern industrialist is second president of post-Soviet Ukraine by Marta Kolomayets who led Ukraine in its early days of independence. Kyyiv Press Bureau About 644,000 voters, or 2.4 percent, crossed out both candidates on the ballot. KYYiv - in an upset victory, Leonid Danylovych After the first round of elections on June 26, Kuchma was elected Ukraine's second president on President Leonid Kravchuk led the race, with close to 38 Sunday, July 10, beginning a new era - for better or percent of the vote; Mr. Kuchma finished second with worse - in this country of 52 million people. Mr. over 31 percent. During his last two weeks of campaign– Kuchma, 55, who is the former director of the world's ing, Mr. Kuchma was able to capture over 21 percent, a largest rocket factory and the ex-prime minister of feat that would be the envy of any American politician. Ukraine, is scheduled to be inaugurated on Tuesday, "The split between the east and the west was used to July 19, in Ukraine's Parliament. mobilize the electorate in eastern Ukraine, it became a "As president of Ukraine, 1 will always work in the challenge to eastern Ukrainians to prove that they were interests of Ukraine as a whole, not in the interests of just as committed to the electoral process," said viktor separate regions," said the president-elect, during his Nebozhenko, an independent sociologist, whose firm, first press conference on Wednesday afternoon, July 13, Ukrainian Barometer, provided Mr. Kuchma's campaign in an attempt to quell fears of a split between Ukraine's team with information based on four national surveys. eastern and western regions. Demographically, more people live in Ukraine's east "The first thing 1 want is national reconciliation," Mr. and south than in the west. Kuchma declared, after flying into Kyyiv from his home Most of western Ukraine voted loyally for President in Dnipropetrovske on Monday evening, July 11. "What Kravchuk, where he received between 94 and 95 percent has been done during this presidential marathon is a in the Galician oblasts of Ternopil, ivano-Frankivske crime. To say there is confrontation between the west and Lviv, because western Ukrainians perceive him as and east is a political game," he added. the guarantor of Ukraine's independence, although he Despite the fact that last Sunday's trip to the polls was was once the ideology secretary of the Communist Party the fourth in as many months for Ukraine's citizens, voter of Ukraine. І Marta Kolomayets turnout was high. Over 71 percent exercised their free– in the eastern oblasts of Luhanske and Donetske, Mr. President-elect Leonid Kuchma dom of choice in these second presidential elections. Kuchma received 88 and 79 percent of the vote, respec– Mr. Kuchma attributed his victory to Mr. Kravchuk's it was a close race to the end, but over 14 million, or tively, while in the Crimea, he got close to 90 percent of failure to tackle Ukraine's economic decline since inde– 52 percent, of Ukraine's citizens cast their ballots for the vote, because citizens of these regions perceive the pendence was declared from the Soviet Union in Mr. Kuchma. Mr. Kravchuk got 45 percent of the vote, deterioration in relations with Russia as a prime factor in with a little over 12 million people voting for the man the breakdown of the economy in Ukraine. (Continued on page 3) President-elect Kuchma speaks to the press Ukraine Fund director killed by Marta Kolomayets spent his last days on the campaign trail. Kyyiv Press Bureau Looking tired but excited, Mr. Kuchma was met by a group of journalists who in car collision outside Kyyiv Below, The Weekly offers some of welcomed him with the words, "Good Leonid Kuchma's first words to the press evening, Mr. President." by Marta Kolomayets lided head on with the Mazda. Kyyiv Press Bureau after being elected president on July 10. Earlier that day, Mr. Kuchma's cam– According to an Ukrainian interior President-elect Kuchma has met briefly Ministry report, the minibus was driving in paign team, including his press KYYiv - George B. Yurchyshyn, 54, a with the press on three occasions since spokesman Dmytro Tabachnyk, held a the wrong lane on an unlit section of a two- his election. Ukrainian American who was the director lane highway near the town of Boryspil. press conference to inform the mass of the Si 1.8 million Ukraine Fund, was Mr. Prylipka, the driver of the Mazda, media of Mr. Kuchma's victory, it is diffi– killed on Friday, July 8, in a head-on colli– KYYiv - On Monday afternoon, July said the minibus switched on its regular cult to say who was more shocked by the sion near Boryspil international Airport 11, as ivan Yemets, chairman of the beams seconds before the collision. Central Electoral Commission, prepared news, as both Mr. Kuchma's advisors and here. journalists crowded into a small confer– Witnesses at the site later told the Eastern to announce the official results of The U.S. Embassy in Kyyiv confirmed ence hall at the Khreshchatyk offices of Economist that the car's front wheels Ukraine's second presidential elections, his death later that day and has reported the Ukrainian Association of industrialists were twisted at a 90-degree angle from Leonid Kuchma arrived at Kyyiv's that an investigation by Ukrainian and Businessmen, where Mr. Kuchma has the impact. The Eastern Economist is a Zhulyany airport, returning from his home authorities is proceeding. Embassy offi– Kyyiv-based English-language business cials said that if the family so requested base of Dnipropetrovske where he had (Continued on page 7) publication that Mr. Yurchyshyn's fund they would pursue an investigation into has supported. the matter with Ukrainian authorities. Both drivers were checked for blood Some of Mr. Yurchyshyn's close friends alcohol content several hours after the inci– and colleagues in Ukraine suspect he was dent, and neither registered as having been a victim of foul play. drinking, reported the business journal. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Mr. Yurchyshyn and two of his assis– The U.S. Embassy in Kyyiv called Mr. tants, Ukrainian citizens Serhiy Sokyrko, Yurchyshyn a "highly respected member 34, and Alexandra Kozak, 33, died in an ^H^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^p of the American community in Ukraine." automobile accident at about 1 a.m. on July it reported that he played a key role in 8 as they were traveling back to Kyyiv ^^^И^^^в^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Я the establishment of market reforms in from a business trip to Cherkasy. Mr. Ukraine and was most recently involved Yurchyshyn and Mrs. Kozak died instant– in fostering the development of promis– ly; Mr. Sokyrko died two hours later. ing Ukrainian enterprises as a manager of il^^A^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^R The driver of the Mazda passenger the Ukraine Fund, a venture capital fund car, Anatoliy Prylipka, escaped without of Claflin Capital management. serious injury, as did the driver and pas– і^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Ц senger of the minibus that allegedly col– (Continued on page 15) і 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, JULY 17, 1994 No. 29 lNTERviEW: George Yurchyshyn, Group of Seven offers Ukraine managing director of Ukraine Fund aid package of^4.2 billion by irene Kowal JERSEY C1TY, N.J.— The 20th annu– been covered by European Union pledges. al economic summit of the world's lead– This year's G-7 summit also represent– Following is a BBC interview from ing industrial democracies, better known ed a step forward for Russian President May 21, conducted by lrene Kowal with as the G-7, was held in Naples, italy, on Boris N. Yeltsin, who attended a state din– George Yurchyshyn, managing director July 8-Ю. The leaders of the United ner on July 10 with the leaders of the G-7 of the Ukraine Fund and former senior States, Great Britain, Germany, France, countries. For the first time, Russia has vice-president of the Bank of Boston. Canada, italy and Japan discussed a mul– been given, if not a seat at the table, then Mr. Yurchyshyn barely remembers the titude of issues concerning trade and at least a foot in the door to the exclusive town ofKalush in western Ukraine where monetary policy as well as aid to Ukraine capitalist club. Mr. Yeltsin was warmly he was born. He was 4 when his parents and other Eastern European countries. hosted by the G-7 leaders, who indicated decided to leave Ukraine and with time The three-day conclave paid an unusu– that next year's summit would involve settled in America. Forty-seven years ally large amount of attention to Ukraine's political as well as economic issues, and later, he returned to his homeland. dire economic situation and the lingering that Russia would become part of a politi– What was your purpose in coming danger posed by Chornobyl-type (RBMK) cal G-8. This will enable Mr. Yeltsin to to Ukraine two and a half years ago? nuclear power plants, both in Ukraine and score some points at home with neo-impe– Russia. Germany's Chancellor Helmut rialist and Communist critics who often І had two purposes. First of all, 1 had Kohl was particularly vocal in emphasiz– portray him as a tool of the West, particu– an invitation from the Foreign Advisory ing his country's support for increased aid larly the United States.