The Ukrainian Weekly 1993

INSIDE: • Der Spiegel says Trawniki ID is a forgery — page 2. • Farewell letter of U.S. ambassador to Ukraine — page 6. • Part ii of interview with Sports Minister Valeriy Borzov — page 9. Vol. LXI No. 32 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, AUGUST 8, 1993 50 cents Pennsy senator's amendment Federal court rules Demjanjuk seeks fair share of aid for Ul<rainemus t be allowed to re-enter US. by Xenia Ponomarenko assistance. JERSEY CITY, N.J. — After several awaiting an August 11 hearing on a peti UNA Washington Office In opening the mark-up. days of ups and downs, John Demjanjuk tion filed by Noam Federman, a leader of Subcommittee Chairman Sen. Paul and his family could celebrate yet anoth the far-right Kach Party, and Yizrael WASHINGTON — Sen. Harris Sarbanes (D-Md.) stated that controver er legal victory. On August 3, five days Yehezkeli, the Holocaust survivor who Wofford (D-Pa.) offered an amendment sial issues would be deferred for full after Mr. Demjanjuk was acquitted of all had served a two-year jail term for throw providing for a "fair share" of U.S. for committee consideration. After the sub Nazi war crimes charges by the Supreme ing acid into the face of Mr. Demjanjuk's eign assistance to Ukraine during the committee accepted the mark as pro Court of Israel, a federal court in lawyer, Yoram Sheftel. The petition Senate subcommittee consideration of posed by the chairman and the ranking Cincinnati ruled that the former argues that Mr. Demjanjuk should be the foreign aid authorization act. minority member, Sen. Nancy Landon Cleveland autoworker must be permitted prosecuted for allegedly serving at the On August 3, the Subcommittee on Kassebaum (R-Kan.), the floor was to return to the United States. Sobibor death camp. International Economic Policy, Trade, opened for amendments. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, The Washington Times quoted Mr. Oceans and Environment marked up and Sen. Wofford began by stating: "I which last year had reopened the Nishnic as saying, "We are extremely dis reported to the full Senate Foreign think it is crucial that we redress the Demjanjuk case based on what it said appointed. This torture has got to stop. Relations Committee the fiscal year imbalance in United States assistance to was its inherent power to grant relief for They are slowly killing an American fam- 1994 foreign assistance act. the New Independent States of the for "after-discovered fraud," criticized the ily." The act, as proposed by the Clinton mer Soviet Union. My amendment seeks U.S. Justice Department's prosecution of Mr. Federman was quoted in the press administration, includes $2.5 billion in to rectify the 'Russocentrism' of current Mr. Demjanjuk, calling it "careless at the as saying, "I won't be satisified until the assistance for the newly independent policy by garnering a level of aid for very least." Jewish state has prosecuted Demjanjuk to states (NIS) of the former Soviet Union. Ukraine commensurate with its size, and The New York Times reported that the full extent of the law. A Nazi is a Nazi The House of Representatives passed the contingent on its steps toward reform." the federal court also questioned how and should be tried and punished. Shame authorization and the appropriations bills Attorney General Janet Reno could have on Israel for freeing a man who murdered on June 23 with the $2.5 billion level of (Continued on page 8) supported the legal position that Mr. Jews." Demjanjuk should continue to be barred Co-petitioner Mr. Yehezkeli in from the U.S. even as federal courts are December 1988 had hurled acid at Mr. reconsidering their earlier decision to Sheftel, who suffered an eye injury. That Defense minister notes change revoke his American citizenship. attack came as Mr. Sheftel was attending Ed Nishnic, Mr. Demjanjuk's son-in- the funeral of his predecessor, defense law and spokesman for the John attorney Dov Eitan, who apparently com in U.S. attitude toward Ukraine Demjanjuk Defense Fund, told The mitted suicide by jumping from a 15th Weekly in a telephone interview: "We story window. by Marta Kolomayets week. Gen. Morozov told Washington are absolutely delighted. Justice has been Kyyiv Press Bureau leaders that Ukraine had begun disman- done in Cincinnati." Case reopened last June thng some of its SS-19 long-range mis Mr. Nishnic, who had flown to The 6th Circuit Court had reopened the KYYIV — Minister of Defense Maj. siles in an effort to address American Cincinnati from Israel, where he had been Demjanjuk case last June, saying the Gen. Kostyantyn Morozov told reporters concerns that it is determined to preserve since several days before the Supreme extradition warrant it had issued in 1986, he was "pleased" with his recent five- its nuclear arsenal. day visit to the United States, and sensed Court's verdict was announced, said, "I which allowed the defendant to be deport That disarmament process began on a "change of attitude toward Ukraine" walked into the courtroom in Cincinnati ed to Israel where he was tried for the July 15 with a regiment of 10 SS-19 mis during high-level meetings in with no real concern. I fully believed that crimes of "Ivan the Terrible" of siles near Pervomaysk in eastern Washington. it would do what was right, what was just Treblinka, "may have been improvidently Ukraine. On Monday afternoon. Gen. and proper. I believed outside political issued." The court said the extradition Speaking at a news conference on Morozov said that by the end of concerns would have no bearing whatso had been ordered because Mr. Demjanjuk Monday afternoon, August 2, the minis September, 10 missiles, each with six ever on the court's decision." was believed to be the murderous "Ivan," ter said that "there is less pressure and warheads, would be dismantled, a total He praised the efforts of Michael and that new evidence had since come to greater understanding of Ukraine's secu of 60 warheads. rity needs" from the Americans. "From Tigar, Mr. Demjanjuk's attorney in this light pointing to another man, Ivan "All rocket missiles and all fuel will now on, Ukraine and the United States segment of the case: "Tigar masterfully Marchenko, as the brutal guard. remain in Ukraine, for as you remember, are partners in the spheres of defense argued that the denaturalization of Mr. In issueing its August 3 ruling, the as the Parliament decided, all this is the issues and military cooperation." He Demjanjuk was focused on Treblinka court maintained that position. It empha property of Ukraine," he added. The added that a memorandum of under and that the 1986 extradition decision sized: "Our previous order in this case missiles and warheads are being dis standing and cooperation signed by U.S. was based on the premise that John was expressly subject to the understand armed by specialists of the 43rd Missile Secretary of Defense Les Aspin and Demjanjuk was Tvan the Terrible.' We ing that Demjanjuk was to be tried only Army located in Ukraine under the com Gen. Morozov at the Pentagon on July now have a live issue concerning the for the charges in the warrant against him mand of the Ukrainian Ministry of 27 will also help foster Ukraine's inte credibility of Mr. Demjanjuk's state and under which he was extradited, that Defense. The site is guarded by troops of gration into the European and world ments, and therefore we insist on having is, charges based upon the allegation that that army as well as troops of the regular communities. a live client present to participate in his he was Ivan the Terrible of Treblinka." Ukrainian army. own defense." Reading the court's opinion. Chief Judge However, the Ukrainian defense min According to a recent report by R. Mr. Nishnic also explained that the Gilbert S. Merritt said that international ister said that he viewed the $175 mil Jeffrey Smith of The Washington Post, government had argued that Judge law "forbids him from being tried on any lion pledged during this visit and origi the Clinton administration's decision to Thomas Wiseman's report to the 6th other charges" in Israel. nally requested by Ukrainian President release this financial aid to Ukraine is a Circuit Court had cleared the Justice According to The New York Times, Leonid Kravchuk for nuclear disarma major shift in policy toward Ukraine. Department of any fraud. "At that Federal Judge Damon J. Keith, another of ment assistance last fall, "only as mone "U.S. officials had maintained until point," he noted, "Chief Judge Gilbert the three panelists on the Court of tary aid in the first phase to encourage recently that using aid as leverage was Merritt advised Douglas Wilson (the Appeals for the 6th Circuit, said "In the disarmament." the best means of forcing Ukraine's attorney for the U.S. government) that search for the truth, it is important that the This assistance, allocated by the divestiture of the weapons," he wrote in the issue had not been resolved and petitioner gets to the United States." Nunn-Lugar amendment in Congress last July 28 Washington Post news story. year, will be the subject of an intergov would be the subject of arguments to be "Direct testimony from Demjanjuk But when U.S. Defense Secretary Les ernmental accord and not an understand presented on September 3 in Cincinnati." may be necessary on the question of Aspin came to Kyyiv in June, he pri- ing between the two defense ministries. Meanwhile, in Israel, Mr. Demjanjuk As reported in the Western media last (Continued on page 3) remained in his cell at Ayalon Prison, (Continued on page 8) THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, AUGUST 8, 1993 No.

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