The Ukrainian Weekly 2008, No.37

www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: • College students participate in mission to orphanages – page 4. • Ukraine readies Holodomor anniversary observances – page 8. • Ukrainian Independence Day in the U.S., Canada – pages 11-15 HE Published byKRAINIAN the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit associationEEKLY Vol. LXXVIT UNo. 37 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER W 14, 2008 $1/$2 in Ukraine European Union leaders delay Two scenarios emerge in Kyiv Ukraine’s integration efforts as coalition’s collapse is expected by Zenon Zawada by Zenon Zawada betrayal of the democratic coalition and Kyiv Press Bureau Kyiv Press Bureau Ukraine’s strategic course.” Ukraine’s citizens also don’t want pre- KYIV – European Union (EU) leaders KYIV – With almost no hope left for term elections, a view shared throughout the decided on September 9 to delay Ukraine’s pro-Western parliamentary coali- country, according to a Razumkov poll of Ukraine’s integration efforts by at least tion to mend its fences by a deadline extend- 2,379 respondents conducted on September half a year because of the conflict ed to September 16, politicians and observ- 4-5. between President Viktor Yushchenko ers began contemplating two likely scenari- In fact, 72 percent of Donetsk residents, and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, os for Ukrainian politics. and 68 percent of Lviv residents, oppose which has led to the expected collapse of Most widely suspected is that a new pre-term elections. The most support for a the pro-Western coalition government. coalition will emerge within a month pre-term election was in Dnipropetrovsk, Leaders and diplomats expected a new between the Party of Regions of Ukraine where 26 percent of respondents were in enhanced agreement on bilateral relations (PRU) and the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc favor. would either be signed this fall or in the (YTB), which are already cooperating on Dnipropetrovsk and Donetstk residents spring of 2009, but EU leaders decided legislative initiatives in the Verkhovna also expressed the most support for a Party no new pact would be finalized until the Rada. of Regions-Tymoshenko Bloc coalition – 56 second half of 2009 and offered no assur- The other likely scenario is that no new percent and 54 percent, respectively. ances of eventual EU accession. coalition will emerge and that the president While the Party of Regions never ruled Infighting between Ukraine’s leaders will dismiss Parliament after a month of out forming a coalition with anyone, Ms. “undoubtedly influenced” the summit Official Website of Ukraine’s President failed coalition talks and will call pre-term Tymoshenko has insisted ever since the declaration’s final wording, an associate Presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and Viktor elections – the third in three years. Orange Revolution that her bloc would of top European Council official Javier Yushchenko in Paris. “Or perhaps a Tymoshenko Bloc-Party never form a parliamentary coalition with Solana told UNIAN, a leading Ukrainian of Regions coalition after pre-term elec- the PRU. news wire, three days before the summit. Diplomats began discussing plans to tions, also disguised until the following She aimed this policy at consolidating “Today’s political crisis pushed the relax visa rules and eventually establish a election,” suggested Vitaly Portnikov, a and solidifying her electorate in western EU to delay the agreement until later visa-free regime between the EU and Kyiv journalist and political pundit. “From Ukraine, which she won from the Our next year,” said Volodymyr Fesenko, Ukraine, the Ukrainian president said. now on, they will always disguise them- Ukraine bloc during the last two parliamen- board chairman of the Penta Center for Agreements were reached in unifying selves and they will always be together.” tary elections. Applied Political Research in Kyiv. energy systems and cooperating more Both Ms. Tymoshenko and Party of Such concern is valid, as the Razumkov “They understand just how complicat- deeply in aviation, he said. Regions leaders agree that pre-term elec- poll revealed that 69 percent of Lviv resi- ed the political situation is in Ukraine, In Mr. Yushchenko’s view, the tions would be the worst outcome of the dents are against a PRU-YTB union. and perhaps this is a way to influence the Association Agreement that will be collapse of the Democratic Forces At a September 8 press conference, presidential election campaign and say, signed in the second half of 2009 will be Coalition. reporter Serhii Leschenko of Ukrayinska ‘You should keep in mind Ukraine’s similar to what was extended to Central “I am categorically against pre-term elec- Pravda reminded Ms. Tymoshenko that she European prospects.’” and Eastern European countries that are tions, which will re-ignite complete chaos once said she would only unite with the At the same time, Ukraine’s foreign for a year, absolutely won’t allow passage now EU members. Party of Regions if she were abducted by a policy team made significant strides of the 2009 budget, and most importantly, However, the Financial Times reported UFO. toward EU integration, which Mr. either won’t change the make-up the politi- on September 9 that the Association “Our bloc can unite with the Regions Yushchenko proudly described as “histor- cal forces in Parliament at all, or will change Agreement is more similar to what is cur- only if a UFO takes me into its saucer, con- ic” at a brief September 9 press confer- them not in favor of the democratic coali- rently in place with Albania, Macedonia ducts illegal research on me and deprives ence that concluded the 12th Ukraine-EU tion,” Ms. Tymoshenko told a September 8 summit, held at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (Continued on page 21) press conference. “Pre-term elections are a (Continued on page 21) Cheney assures Ukraine of U.S. support in aftermath of Russian-Georgian conflict by Zenon Zawada leaders issued statements affirming the Kyiv Press Bureau North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as the best guarantor of Ukrainian and KYIV – U.S. Vice-President Dick regional security. Cheney on September 5 met separately with “The events in Georgia demonstrated President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime that the single model ... for reliable defense Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. of a European nation’s territorial integrity, He arrived in Kyiv on September 4, as that of Ukraine or any other, is joining the part of a four-nation tour that included all-European, pan-European North Atlantic Azerbaijan, Georgia and Italy to discuss system of collective security,” Mr. with various leaders the effect of the Yushchenko said. Russian-Georgian war. The U.S. vice-president was more specif- Ms. Tymoshenko’s meeting with Mr. ic in his remarks, stating the Russian Cheney extended twice as long as had been Federation encroached upon Georgian terri- planned, followed by a meeting involving tory, and illegally and single-handedly used the Ukrainian and U.S. delegations. force to physically seize territory. The leaders discussed regional security “Ukraine’s support for Georgia, and issues, maintaining stability in Ukraine and especially your dramatic visit to Tbilisi in the region, and diversifying energy sources, the crisis’ first days, showed a courageous the government’s pres-service reported. example for others,” Mr. Cheney said. “The Afterwards, Mr. Cheney held a meeting Official Website of Ukraine’s President free world must follow this example deci- with the Ukrainian president, which also Ukraine’s President Viktor Yushchenko with U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney. In extended longer than expected, and the two (Continued on page 21) the background is U.S. Ambassador William Taylor. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2008 No. 37 ANALYSIS NEWSBRIEFS Crisis in Ukraine EU and Ukraine deepen ties all-European, pan-European, North Atlantic system of collective security.” He noted that by Pavel Korduban coalition, leaving her in the opposition. PARIS – European Union leaders told NATO’s eastward expansion “is an extra Eurasia Daily Monitor The Presidential Secretariat mounted an Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko that factor of stability in the region.” The presi- September 8 unprecedented offensive against Ms. he could expect an Association Agreement dent also said the recent visit to Ukraine of Tymoshenko in the second half of August, next year that would deepen ties between U.S. President George W. Bush gave an Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko following her refusal to back Mr. the 27-state bloc and Ukraine, but they impetus to bilateral relations. Vice-President is ready to call an early parliamentary elec- Yushchenko’s stance on Georgia. The stopped short of offering Ukraine member- Cheney, who arrived in Kyiv from Tbilisi, tion as his party, Our Ukraine – People’s Secretariat accused her of treason and ship in the EU. Reuters reported that a dec- Georgia, pointed out the importance of Self-Defense (OU-PSD), withdrew from a instructed the Security Service of Ukraine laration agreed upon by EU leaders and the Ukraine’s support for Georgia. Russia’s coalition with Prime Minister Yulia (known by its Ukrainian acronym as SBU) Ukrainian president acknowledged Kyiv’s invasion and illegal attempt to seize Tymoshenko’s Bloc (YTB). According to to check whether Ms. Tymoshenko refused EU aspirations and status as a European Georgian territory by force call into ques- Ukrainian law, OU-PSD has time until to condemn Russia’s actions in Georgia country and resolved to launch talks on tion its reliability as an international partner September 13 to change its mind; otherwise, because, according to Mr. Yushchenko’s visa-free arrangements for Ukrainian citi- of not only Georgia but also of the region either a new coalition will emerge or aide Andrii Kyslynskyi, Moscow reportedly zens. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, on the whole, he stressed. Mr. Cheney Ukraine will see its third parliamentary elec- has earmarked $1 billion to back Ms.

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