The Ukrainian Weekly 1995

INSIDE: • Clinton administration position on Ukrainian space launches — page 2. « American-Ukrainian Advisory Committee speaks on European security - page 3. • News in the music world — centerfold. Published by the Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit association Vol. LXIil No. 50 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1995 $1.25/$2 in Ukraine Ukraine and G-7 initial memo Democrats paralyze Parliament on shutdown of Chornobyl plant to block debate on CIS Assembly by Marta Kolomayets meet with Canadian Vice-Premier Sheila by Marta Kolomayets a strategy that had proved effective for Kyiv Press Bureau Copps in Kyiv in November to sign the Kyiv Press Bureau them in the past, i.e. refusal to register. memorandum. Due to unfinished points Les Taniuk, representing the Rukh KYI V - After a number of false starts, in the memorandum, that meeting never KYIV - The plenary work of the faction, told Mr. Tkachenko his group Ukrainian and G-7 negotiators meeting took place, however. Ukrainian Parliament has been paralyzed would take part in the session only if he in Vienna on December I initialed a "I am pleased that the Chornobyl issue for more than three weeks now, as national took the CIS issue off the agenda, but "memorandum of understanding" con has at last moved away from an democrats have refused to register for ses Mr. Tkachenko offered only partial cerning the shutdown of the Chornobyl impasse," President Leonid Kuchma last sions until the issue of Ukraine's accession retreat, saying he would be willing to nuclear power station by the year 2000. week told ambassadors from the Group to the Commonwealth of Independent debate the issue but not bring it to a vote. States Inter-Parliamentary Assembly is One Western diplomat told The of Seven industrialized countries who are Left-wing forces, headed by Communist taken off the working agenda. Weekly that the memorandum wouid stationed in Ukraine. Party leader Petro Symonenko, countered "This kind of stalemate may be just the probably be signed in Ottawa no later Prime Minister Marchuk commended the Rukh proposal, with Mr. Symonenko crisis that will lead to the self-dissolution of than December 26, or as early as the "considerable progress on the issue," adding that "we will never agree to with the Ukrainian Parliament," commented December 16. telling Interfax-Ukraine that the Vienna draw the issue from the session's agenda." Petro Matiaszek, executive director of the It is not yet clear whether Ukraine will talks are "a logical follow-up to the polit He called the three factions that refuse to Council of Advisers to the Ukrainian be represented by Environment Minister ical decision of the Ukrainian leadership register "narrow nationalists." Parliament. Yuriy Kostenko, who has chaired the on decommissioning the Chornobyl Volodymyr Yavorivsky, a member of Once again on December 5, only 257 talks with G-7 representatives through nuclear power plant on the condition that the Center faction, on December 5 proposed deputies registered for the session, unable out 1995, or Prime Minister Yevhen Ukraine gets appropriate aid from the that the Parliament postpone review of the to come up with the necessary two-thirds, Marchuk, who had been scheduled to developed countries of the world." He thorny issue until after Russian elections on or 269 lawmakers, needed for a quorum. stressed that President Kuchma had December 17, but this suggestion could not made the political decision to close the In the absence of Parliament Chairman be brought to a vote because of the absence plant last April. Oleksander Moroz, who was on an offi of a significant number of deputies. U.S. grant to help But, he noted that this process is not cial visit to Poland this week, the Disgruntled with the state of affairs in yet complete, adding that significant deputies, under the leadership of Deputy Parliament, the Center faction put out a progress had been made as Ukraine's Chairman Oleksander Tkachenko, have declaration on December 6, calling for Kyiv use energy partners "have realized the essence of the been unable to reach a compromise on Parliament to set aside politically heated shift of accents in Ukraine's stand in the what issues should be brought up for dis issues and work on issues that are most approach to the resolution of the issue of cussion in these last few weeks of work pressing for Ukraine's society, namely more efficiently decommissioning the Chornobyl plant." before the Christmas holidays. the proposed 1996 budget, and economic Ukraine's official representative to the The national democrats, namely three laws and regulations. by Marta Kolomayets factions in Parliament ~ Rukh, Reforms Kyiv Press Bureau (Continued on page 4) and Derzhavnist (Statehood) - continued (Continued on page 17) KYIV - KyivEnergo, a municipal util ity responsible for the production and transmission of district heating and elec trical power in the capital city of Papal letter cites Ukrainian Church's special role in unity Ukraine, was awarded a $562,000 grant VATICAN CITY - Pope John Paul's religious life, the education of the clergy ficulty on the road of ecumenism," he from the U.S. Trade and Development apostolic letter for the fourth centenary of and the spiritual commitment of the faith affirmed. He then cited councilor and Agency (TDA) on December 4. the Union of Brest, titled "They knew the ful." Pope John Paul II observed, "And papal documents that face this problem U.S. Ambassador Richard Morning- truth, and the truth set them free," was yet, all this ecclesial vitality was continu star, special adviser to President Bill and offer possible solutions. made public on November 16 in the Holy ally marked by the tragedy of misunder Clinton, traveled to Kyiv to present the Pope John Paul stressed that "the shift See Press Office. Published in Italian, standing and opposition." grant, which is intended to support a fea from an underground existence has meant a English, French and Ukrainian, it consists "Outstanding among the heroic witness sibility study for the rehabilitation of the radical change in the situation of the of an introduction and eight sections. es," stated the pope, "is the figure of city's district heating system to improve Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church." The "The day is drawing near," began the Metropolitan Josyf Slipyj." He also pointed energy efficiency and reduce waste in resulting challenges and difficulties require pope, "when the Ukrainian Greek- out that "Divine Providence" made possi heating and electrical power. "a common witness of charity," he stated. Catholic Church will celebrate the fourth ble the escape of many of those who were The study, which is to be conducted In the fourth part, "The Blood of centenary of the union between the bish persecuted and added that "the Holy See throughout 1996, can pave the way for a Martyrs," the pope recalled "the persecu ops of the Metropolia of Kyivan Rus' took care to be closed" to these emigrants World Bank loan in 1997 that will enable tion and martyrdom which the Churches and the Apostolic See." It was "effect in their new communities. Kyiv to restructure its outdated heating of that region, Catholic and Orthodox, ed... on December 23, 1595, and solemn and electrical systems into a more eco "The whole Catholic community recalls suffered in their own flesh." ly proclaimed at Brest-Litovsk...October logically clean and cost-efficient struc with deep emotion the victims of such great The following section, "The Church of 16, 1596." ture. suffering: the martyrs and confessors of the Christ is One," stresses the many meet In the first section, titled "In Search of faith of the Church in Ukraine offer us a According to recent statistics from the ings and initiatives over the years Unity," the holy father recalled that magnificent lesson in fidelity even at the Ukrainian government, heat losses in between popes and the patriarchs of the "after the division which damaged the price of life itself...They knew the truth and Ukraine - from boiler rooms to actual Churches of the East. The pontiff pointed unity between the West and the the truth set them free." apartments - are nearly 40 percent. to the need for "courage and strength...to Byzantine East (in 1054), frequent and "Given Ukraine's harsh winters, this The third section is titled "In the Wake of continue on the path already taken" intense efforts were made to restore full is a practical project designed to improve the Second Vatican Council." The pope because "sometimes one even has the communion." He cited the various the energy situation in Ukraine," said encouraged "putting the celebrations of the impression that there are forces ready to Church councils that had worked to this U.S. Ambassador William Green Miller coming year in the context of a reflection on do almost anything in order to slow effect and named Metropolitan Isidore of during the signing ceremonies at the Church, as proposed by the council." He down, and even put an end to, the move Kyiv as a figure who "stands out." America House, the United States recommended as well "a deeper under ment towards Christian unity." "Between Persecution and Growth," standing of the proper role which the Information Service's headquarters in In the two successive parts, "Time of the second part of the pope's letter, out Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church is called Kyiv. He was joined by Ambassador Prayer" and "Time of Reflection," Pope lines the period after the union in which to play today in the ecumenical movement." Morningstar, as well as Ukrainian John Paul II suggests that both prayer the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church "There are those who see the existence (Continued on page 14) flourished "with resulting benefits for of the Eastern Catholic Churches as a dif (Continued on page 14) THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1995 No.

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