The Ukrainian Weekly 1991, No.38
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www.ukrweekly.com lished by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association! rainian WeeklV Vol. LIX mNo. 38 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1991 50 cents Senate Finance Committee hearings Kravchuk addresses myriad issues focus on trade with Soviet Union on eve of North American trip by Adrian Karmazyn the new realities in what is now often UNA Washington Office termed the "former Soviet Union." by Chrystyna Lapychak In his opening remarks at the hear Kiev Press Bureau WASHINGTON - The Senate ing, Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas), Finance Committee held hearings on chairman of the committee, noted that KIEV — As he prepared to embark September 11-12 on the topic of U.S. President Bush's trade agreement with on his first North American trip as the Soviet trade relations. In early August, the USSR was negotiated with an entity head of an independent Ukrainian state, President George Bush had submitted that "doesn't exist anymore." Ukrainian Supreme Council Chairman to the Senate for ratification the June He went on to say that the United Leonid Kravchuk held a special pre-trip 1990 trade agreement negotiated with States needs to "sort out ptsj political press conference on September 18 for the Soviet Union. The agreement would and economic relationships with each American journalists either based in or grant most-favored-nation status to the Soviet republic and the newly indepen visiting Kiev who had requested one- Soviets. dent Baltic states." Sen. Bentsen com on-one interviews with him before his plained that the committee was "hard- In the aftermath of the failed coup in September 22 departure. pressed to find any high-level officials in In a special delegation meeting room the USSR and the subsequent changes the administration willing to ... tell us in the relations between the center and in the Ukrainian Parliament building, what their policy is toward the republics Mr. Kravchuk answered a variety of the republics, the Senate Finance Com and the Baltic states." mittee convened to assess the adminis questions during the hourlong meeting. In his remarks, the senator stressed The questions focused on his North tration's trade struggle for dealing with that the U.S. must structure its economic t ' - ' - " American trip, the current political and relations with the Soviet Union to economic situation in the newly inde enhance global stability and to further pendent Ukraine, his views on negotia Greenpeace accuses U.S. economic interests. "I don't want tions over new economic and political to see a bustling, modern Kiev in the unions between the former Soviet IAEA of collusion year 2010 where the Ukrainian citizens republics and his candidacy for the new are driving BMW's and talking on post of president of Ukraine. Samsung cellular telephones, with no with Soviets American companies in sight," he said. The American journalists included: Roman Ferencevych of Voice of Ame JERSEY CITY, N.J. -Theenviron "That's why I've called these hearings," Chrystyna Lapychak mental organization Greenpeace has he explained. rica, Christine Demkowych of The New accused the International Atomic York Times and Baltimore Sun, Daniel Leonid Kravchuk, chairman of the "I want to hear the administration Sneider of The Christian Science Moni Ukrainian Supreme Council. Energy Agency, the United Nations outline its current strategy and how it's tor, Juan Tamayo of The Miami He work of the situation, the position of agency set up to promote the peaceful pursuing America's interests. ...The rald, Lisa Trei of The San Francisco use of atomic energy, of colluding with American people, Congress and the Chronicle and this reporter. Ukraine will become better known, Soviet authorities to hide the impact of business community all have a role to more understandable. This is exactly the 1986 Chornobyl nuclear power A single Canadian correspondent what we need today. play in determining the shape of our was included in the group: Natalia plant disaster. relations with the nations that have The IAEA's "The International Cher Feduschak of Canadian Press. Roman Ferencevych: Ukraine has arisen from these recent changes," he Marina Lysenko of the Foreign nobyl Project" report, presented at a said. appointed its first representative to a conference in Vienna May 21-24, Ministry of Ukraine served as inter state. Volodymyr Kryzhanivsky to the Testifying at the hearing were three preter. purportedly measured the consequences administration officials: Julias L. Katz, Russian Federation. Which will he the of the Chornobyl disaster on the health A transcript of the press conference next countries to receive Ukrainian deputy U.S. trade representative; Tho follows. of the population and determined mas Duesterberg, assistant secretary for representatives? whether there was an adequate response international economic policy, Depart PARTI by authorities to protect the population ment of Commerce; and Curtis Kam- Mr. Kravchuk: This is a multi-faceted from irradiation. The report was pre task. We've started negotiations with all man, deputy assistant secretary for Christine Demkowych: Why are you pared by a group of international con European and Canadian affairs, De states, but it's natural that we started sultants for the IAEA at the request of going to the U.S., and what do you hope with Russia, because Russia has a partment of State. They all urged quick to achieve there? the Soviet government. approval of the president's trade agree singular interest in this. This exchange In "The IAEA File," a document ment with the Soviet Union, underlin of official representatives was agreed published to coincide with the IAEA's Leonid Kravchuk: First of all, I'm ing the benefits it would bring for going to the United Nations. I have to upon with President (Boris) Yeltsin general conference which opened in American businesses, but paying rela when we signed the bilateral agreement Vienna September 16, Greenpeace give a speech there. The goal is to tively little attention to the role of the present the position of Ukraine on the between Ukraine and Russia on No accused the IAEA of failing to respond republics in future trade relations. main economic, political, legal and vember 14, 1990. to warnings that foreshadowed the The casual treatment of the increa military issues. And besides that to tell Now this problem is solved with Chornobyl accident and of accepting singly powerful republics was under the world community what is this Kirghizstan. We're negotiating it with uncritically Soviet explanations that the scored by Sen. Bentsen's opening state Ukraine and the goals it pursues, and its the Baltic republics, which already have disaster was caused by human error, ment on the second day of the hearings. development after the declaration of proclaimed their independence. We reported the Financial Times. "I must say that after listening carefully independence. -have intentions of having our repre The Ukrainian environmental asso yesterday to the administration wit sentatives in all the states of the world. ciation Zeleniy Svit and the Ukrainian nesses, I'm still not sure what our policy Judging from my experience, not Green Party claim that the IAEA, an is — and I'm certainly not convinced everyone knows very well what is organization created to control the that the administration is moving fast Ukraine, what is its potential, what its Roman Ferencevych: In many coun spread of radioactive materials, is not enough to keep up with the changes,"he history is, what is happening here today tries of the world, in particular in competent to make medical assessments in Ukraine, what political forces are in Canada, the United States and Austra said. lia, there are a lot of people of Ukrai of the aftereffects of Chornobyl. Testifying on the second day of the action here. And all this complicates Ukrainian Greens state: "The respon cooperation with other states for us, for nian descent. Kiev has American and hearings were representatives of the Canadian consulates-general. When sibility of the IAEA is to study the still Latvian and Lithuanian legations in the business people. And I hope that (Continued on page 3) (Continued on page 5) when I draw just the general frame- (Continued on page 8) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1991 No. 38 50,000 in Kiev celebrate Ukraine's new independence Newsbriefs KIEV - More than 50,000 citizens of organizations also spoke to the throngs from Ukraine the newly proclaimed independent who came to celebrate Ukraine's free Ukraine gathered at St. Sophia Square dom. here on Sunday afternoon, September During the meeting, the people ap ^ LVIV — Cardinal Myroslav Ivan "It is not the first time that we have to 15, to celebrate their nation's August 24 proved resolutions which called for Lubachivsky met on September 10 with admit the obvious lack of elementary declaration of independence, reported cancellation of a referendum scheduled Grzegorz Kostrzewa Zorbas, vice- safety culture in running reactors," said the Respublika press agency. for December 1 to confirm the pro deputy of the Europe Section of the Mr. Mazlov. Polish Foreign Ministry, and a delega The all-national/ public meeting, clamation of independence by the ^ KIEV — Jewish leaders, including which included a moleben celebrated by Ukrainian Parliament. tion which included the Polish consul in Lviv, Henryk Litwin. Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor and the hierarchs and priests of the Ukrai After the public meeting, the people winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986, nian Autocephalous Orthodox and formed columns and led by ex-soldiers The meeting came one day after the and Edgar Bronfman, president of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Churches, dressed in the uniforms of the Ukrai signing of a joint communique by the World Jewish Congress, met at Babyn began with people's deputy and presi nian Insurgent Army and the Sich Ukrainian and Polish ministries an Yar on September 12 to pray for the dential candidate Levko Lukianenko Riflemen, made their way from Volo- nouncing the development of formal dead.