The Ukrainian Weekly 1992
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ІЬУІУІ w `' У^^^Ь К,ІМІ HADt^Y^Z ..4 CJNNLIN А)/;. „ IV.DK? iSTOwN: 'J ;- Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a f raternal"non-prof it association! crainian WeeklV Vol. LX No. 6 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1992 50 cents Meeting of Rukh's Grand Council Ukraine's president outlines reveals rift on eve of congress top domestic, foreign issues by Marta Kolomayets bode well for the third congress of by Marta Kolomayets headquarters of the Central Committee Kiev Press Bureau Rukh, scheduled for February 28- Kiev Press Bureau of the Communist Party of Ukraine on March 1. Thursday afternoon, February 5, Presi KIEV — As the newly independent Although the battle within Rukh had KIEV - While the Ukrainian Ca dent Kravchuk answered questions Ukraine begins to take its first steps been predicted for some time, at the binet of Ministers and the deputies of from the press regarding his recent along the path of democratization and Grand Council meeting it became the Supreme Council point fingers at information-distributing, image-build privatization, the future of its nurturer, apparent that two distinct camps will each other, blaming one another for the ing trip to Switzerland and Germany, as Rukh, the Popular Movement of U- emerge at the congress later this month, current economic crisis in Ukraine, well as the current political and econo kraine, hangs in the balance. splitting this organization, or even President Leonid Kravchuk is attempt mic situation in Ukraine today. At a one-day meeting on January 25 nailing its coffin shut. ing to grasp more presidential powers to "Today, I distributed my proposals of the Grand Council of Rukh, which Vyacheslav Chornovil, leader of the lead Ukraine to a brighter democratic for the precise definition of the execu comprises representatives from all camp that wants to transform this future. tive and legislative powers, and the regions of Ukraine, as well as the people's movement into a political During a press conference held at the powers of the president, which I hope secretariat, the atmosphere did not (Continued on page 3) new presidential offices in the former. will be discussed by the Parliament as soon as possible," he said. "It is not that I want more powers as NEWS ANALYSIS: Ukraine is keystone of Commonwealthpresident," he continued, "but taking into account the dynamics of today's economic situation, I will ask for the by Roman Solchanyk і he loreseeabie tuture, predicted the Kiev argued that henceforth it would Supreme Council to grant the president RFE/RL Research Institute writers' weekly, would be marked by pursue economic ties and cooperate on more power in questions of economic increasingly sharp disagreements be military strategic issues with the other Any discussion of the Common reform." tween the former republics, and that republics, above all, with Russia, but During the 75-minute meeting with wealth of Independent States (CIS) this would be manifested, above all, in that the reanimation of union structures must, in a sense, by definition begin journalists President Kravchuk touched relations between Russia and Ukraine. was out of the question. If anything, upon both domestic and foreign issues, with Ukraine, specifically with the focus This is a polite and palatable way of Ukraine was prepared to discuss a on Ukraine's role in the disintegration discussing both the Crimean/ Black Sea saying that Russia has yet to rid itself of confederation of states, but only after Fleet issues and Ukraine's relations with of the Soviet Union both before and imperial ambitions and that Ukraine its December 1 referendum and presi after the December 1, 1991, referendum dential elections. Russia. continues to play the pre-eminent role President Kravchuk stated that he on Ukrainian independence. And any in that process. discussion of the present-day difficulties The final blow for the center and for- thinks the issue of the Crimea and the within the CIS cannot be understood Why the CIS? the Kremlin-sponsored "Union of Sov Black Sea Fleet are artificially created without taking into consideration the ereign States" was the Ukrainian refer problems, adding that he and Russian Even before Ukraine declared its endum, which yielded a surprising 90.3 specific nature of the Ukrainian-Rus independence in August 1991, Kiev's President Boris Yeltsin have signed sian relation past and present. percent vote of approbation. As the documents pledging that neither coun main objection to Gorbachev's plans for referendum drew closer,Ukraine's posi Ukraine's role as the key player in the a "renewed union" focused on the try will have territorial claims against tion hardened. Ukraine was among the other. CIS is dictated not by the fact that it, center's insistence on perpetuating its those republics that skipped the State together with the RSFSR and Belarus, own existence. The point of departure Mr. Kravchuk also spoke of his Council meeting in Novo Ogarevo on recent statement in Bonn in which he formed the nucleus of the CIS in Minsk for then Chairman of the Ukrainian November 14 that resumed „the union on December 8, 1991, but because the Supreme Council Leonid Kravchuk told Germans resettled during World treaty discussions; the following day War II that they were welcome to return CIS owes its existence, however ten (now the president) and the democratic Komsomolskaya Pravda quoted Mr. uous, to Ukraine's refusal to adhere to opposition in the Parliament was that to Ukraine. According to Mr. Krav- Kravchuk as saying that "everything (Continued on page 2) any of the previous arrangements that the various drafts of the new union would have to begin on a fundamen had been proposed by the center. As the treaty foresaw the creation of a union of tally new basis." well-known Ukrainian journalist Vitaliy states. Popadiuk is Portnykov recently pointed out, the This point was made by Mr. Krav On the eve of the ceremonial signing CIS was created largely with Ukraine in chuk already in December 1990 at the of the draft treaty scheduled for Novem top candidate mind. Consequently, if Ukraine were to plenum of the Central Committee of the ber 25, Mr. Kravchuk told voters in a leave the CIS there would be no reason Communist Party of the Soviet Union small village in the Bukovyna region for Kiev post for its continued existence given the fact with reference to the draft published in that he would not take part in the Novo Ogarevo process, that he would conti that the other members had been pre November. The results of the March 17, WASHINGTON - Roman Po pared to sign the union treaty. 1991, referendum in Ukraine served nue the struggle for Ukrainian inde pendence, and would not budge from padiuk, White House deputy press In a very real sense, therefore, the CIS only to strengthen Ukraine's argument, secretary, is considered the leading is a creature of Ukraine, and its fate will given the fact that 80.2 percent of voters this position. On November 25 Ukraine was once again not represented at Novo candidate to become U.S. ambassa be determined by whether or not U- in Ukraine approved the republican dor to Ukraine, reported The Wash kraine finds it convenient to remain a survey, which qualified support for a Ogarevo. In an interview with Izvestiya, the ington Post on February 4, citing member. This question, in turn, is "renewed union" only if it was in line administration officials. largely a function of Ukrainian-Rus with the July 1990 Declaration on State Ukrainian leader explained: "Yes, now they are saying let's create a confedera The Post described Mr. Popadiuk sian relations. Sovereignty. Moreover, this was a as "the son of Ukrainians who emi In its first issue for 1992, Literatur- higher percentage than the vote for tion. And then they add: but we are for a single state. What is this? Confedera grated to America to escape the naya Gazeta observed that after the preservation of the union. Soviet system." initial euphoria had passed the CIS In the aftermath of the failed August tion and a single state are incompatible and mutually exclusive things. When The Post also reported the follow leaders began to realize that thus far the putsch, the political situation in U- ing information about Mr. Popa Commonwealth "does not even exist on kraine, as in the remainder of the are we going to stop deceiving our own people? ... 1 do not want to take part in diuk: paper." The resignation of Soviet republics, changed radically, resulting "Popadiuk, 42, has been the White President Mikhail Gorbachev, it conti in the declaration of Ukraine's inde this deception." Several days prior to the referendum, House spokesman on foreign policy nues, in no way signifies the destruc pendence. Once again, Ukraine's hand issues since the last years of the tion of the center, but rather "the was strengthened, this time largely Mr. Kravchuk told a press conference that Mr. Gorbachev's plans weredoom- Reagan administration. A foreign transfer of the idea of central power into because the center was completely (Continued on page 2) other hands." discredited. (Continued on page 10) THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1992 No. 6 list's honor, integrity and responsibility Ukraine's president... to his people," he concluded. (Continued from page 1) Mr. Kravchuk did say that he was Newsbriefs aware of some information recently chuk, more than 400,000 Germans from published in Izvestia, which disturbed on Ukraine five oblasts in Ukraine were deported. him. A report from Moscow said that They, like the Crimean Tatars, have the on the initiative of Mr.