www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • Myths of "The Great Patriotic War" — page 2. • Talbott paves way for Clinton visit to Kyyiv — page 3. • Pysanky: Ukrainian Easter eggs as talismans — page 11. THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY Published by the Ukrainian National Association inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXIII No. 16 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 1995 75 cents International Monetary Fund grants Chaos reigns in Parliament Ukraine $1.96 billion in stand-by credits as law on powers is discussed by Marta Kolomayets and oil from Russia and Turkmenistan in by Marta Kolomayets Council adopts the "Law on State Power Kyyiv Press Bureau the last few years. According to Interfax, Kyyiv Press Bureau and Local Self-Government" in this pro­ Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Oleg posed form, it will mean the liquidation of KYYIV — The International Monetary Soskovets said on April 10 that Ukraine KYYIV — The power struggle between the 'rada,' or council system, and limited Fund granted the Ukrainian government a would have to pay $600 million of its IMF Ukraine's Parliament and president heated powers for the Supreme Council," said Mr. stand-by credit totaling $1.96 billion on credits to Russia for energy supplies. up again on Wednesday, April 12, as the Steshenko during a 10-minute monologue. Friday, April 7, announced acting Minister A top-ranking official from the legislature prepared to discuss the law on Deputies of the national-democratic of Economics Roman Shpek. Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers said the power, which had been passed in draft factions stormed the center podium in He told Interfax-Ukraine that the IMF IMF credits also qualify Ukraine to form on December 28, 1994. order to silence Mr. Steshenko. board of directors made its decision after receive assistance from countries on a The discussions and debates, which are Parliament Chairman Oleksander Moroz the Ukrainian Parliament adopted a 1995 bilateral basis. expected to continue throughout the tried to keep order in the session hall, how­ budget on Thursday, April 6. "We hope that now Ukraine will gain month, underscore the division in ever, he did not use his authority to ask Mr. [For the IMF's official news release more trust throughout the world, and pri­ Parliament between the left and right, Steshenko to step down, nor did he turn off about credits for Ukraine, see page 4.] vate capital will come to us," said acting between those forces that would like to see his microphone to forbid him from speak­ According to Ukraine's newly adopted Minister Udovenko. a strong presidential republic and those ing, a measure he has often utilized. budget, the deficit for 1995 is 7.3 percent According to Ukrainian experts, Ukraine who see a republic ruled by councils. "This provocation was planned and coor­ of the gross domestic product (GDP), could receive up to $4 billion in economic President Leonid Kuchma attended the dinated with Moroz," charged Vyacheslav which meets an IMF requirement neces­ aid in 1995. parliamentary session on Wednesday Chorriovil, leader of the Rukh faction in sary for the release of credits, The Ukrainian Parliament had passed morning, April 12, to argue for support Parliament, reacting to the Steshenko inci­ Ukraine also received the second half a 1995 draft budget on March 22, provid­ of the bill which increases executive dent of the standard transformation facility ing for a 7.3 percent budget deficit, but power. Serhiy Holovaty, a member of the (STF) credit, some $350 million, as the IMF said the draft was not enough to He demonstratively left the hall, fol­ Reform faction, attacked Mr. Moroz, agreed upon last year. disburse credits and that, therefore, it lowed by members of his government, implying that the Socialist leader knew Acting Foreign Minister Gennadiy could not review Ukraine's case in when Oleksander Steshenko, a Communist exactly what he was doing when he asked Udovenko said the loan demonstrates Washington by the end of March. Party member from Luhanske and a mem­ Mr. Steshenko to deliver his address. Mr. that the IMF recognizes President Leonid President Kuchma then sent a letter to ber of the Committee on State-Building, Holovaty demanded that Mr. Moroz apolo­ Kuchma's commitment to economic the Parliament on April 6 to urge its accused the executive branch of "drifting gize to President Kuchma for allowing the reform. members to pass the 1995 budget, away from the people, engaging in overly session to get out of hand and for insulting He added that the credit received from emphasizing that financial aid from the bureaucratic measures and unlimited the president of Ukraine. the IMF will be applied toward the repay­ West depends on whether the legislature authoritarianism." ment of debts Ukraine has incurred for gas passes the budget. "I am convinced that if the Supreme (Continued on page 4) Ukraine to shut down Morozov discusses Ukraine's national security by Khristina Lew Mr. Morozov told a March 29 meet­ Ukraine into a CIS security system. "A ing of the American-Ukrainian Advisory military union with Russia can lead to a ChomobyI by 2000 WASHINGTON — Former Committee's security issues task force political one, which would threaten Ukrainian Defense Minister Kostiantyn that he views recent Ukrainian-Russian by Marta Kolomayets Morozov, a self-described "student" at Ukraine's existence as an independent Kyyiv Press Bureau Harvard University, advocated Ukraine's agreements on the creation of a joint air state," warned the former defense withdrawal from the Commonwealth of defense system and cooperation in mili­ KYYIV — President Leonid Kuchma tary production as vehicles for drawing (Continued on page 3) told representatives of the European Independent States and integration into a Union and the G-7 during meetings here collective European security system as on April 13 that Chornobyl will be the only guarantor of Ukrainian state­ closed down by the year 2000. hood during a March 26-31 visit to the "We met with the Ukrainian president nation's capital. and prime minister in order for them to give The retired air force colonel general, us a strong gesture regarding Chornobyl. In who served as independent Ukraine's response, President Kuchma gave us the first minister of defense in 1991-1993, is opportunity to tell you that he has made a currently a visiting scholar at both the decision to shut down the Chornobyl Ukrainian Research Institute and the nuclear power plant by the end of the centu­ John F. Kennedy School of Government ry, in order to begin the new age with a at Harvard University. He traveled to closed Chornobyl," said French Environ­ Washington under the auspices of his mental Minister Michel Barnier. fellowship. "We praise this courageous and very During his meetings here, the former important decision," he added. defense minister repeatedly pointed to However, Volodymyr Horbulin, the the imbalance of power on the European president's secretary for national security, continent after the dissolution of the said the matter of Chornobyl's shutdown Warsaw Pact. He said that Russian would have to be reviewed within the con­ attempts to fill the void with the creation of a collective security system under the text of Ukraine's energy problems. He I Khristina Lew said that a comprehensive plan for decom- aegis of the CIS are threatening to the majority of CIS countries. Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski greets former Defense Minister Kostiantyn Morozov. (Continued on page 4) KHRYSTO! CHRIST IS RISEN THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 1995 No. 16 COMMENTARY: The myths NEWSBRIEFS of "The Great Patriotic War' Gaidar to become Kuchma consultant? Oleksander Moroz on April 6 told a ses­ by Dr. David R. Marples democratic leaders in post-war Poland. sion of Parliament, which was discussing (Four years earlier the cream of the KYYIV — Yegor Gaidar, who engi­ Ukraine's 1995 budget, that Russia was On May 9, Russia will celebrate the Polish officer corps had been executed at neered Russia's economic reforms and 50th anniversary of the victory over Nazi preparing to cut off natural gas supplies Katyn.) Polish cities were gutted, nation­ earlier served as Russia's deputy prime again. The allegation was quickly denied Germany in what is still known in the al treasures purloined, and the Red Army minister, left a meeting with President former country as 'The Great Patriotic by Gazprom, Russia's private gas halted its advance on the Vistula to allow Leonid Kuchma on April 7 and told the monopoly. It was, however, another War of 1941 -1945." That date was desig­ the destruction of the Polish Home Army press that the president had asked him to nated as a national holiday by the Soviet round in the match between Russia and by the Germans during the Warsaw serve as a consultant on economic strategy. regime and remains the most important Ukraine over natural gas and oil, which Uprising. The treatment of the German He added, "I doubt that I will be a consul­ day in the Russian calendar. Russia has and Ukraine needs. Last population in Berlin and other cities, tant to the president of Ukraine. But I will This year, President Bill Clinton and month Russia and Ukraine, pressured by though understandable from the perspec­ help by simply giving advice." The current other world leaders have been invited to the International Monetary Fund, agreed tive of inflicting revenge upon a merci­ leader of the Russia's Choice party and Moscow to join in the celebrations. The that Ukraine's $2 billion energy debt to less enemy, was even worse. Ignoring member of the Duma said that details anniversary, however, is a flawed one, Gazprom could be converted into Anglo-American concerns, Stalin had needed to be worked out and emphasized insofar as it pertains to a united and Ukrainian government bonds.