The Ukrainian Weekly 2011, No.39

www.ukrweekly.com INSIDE: l Levin resolution marks Ukraine’s independence – page 4 l Ukrainian Diaspora Youth Forum held in Kyiv – page 5 l Swimming and tennis competitions at Soyuzivka – pages 12-13 HEPublished U by theKRAINIAN Ukrainian National Association Inc., a fraternal non-profit associationEEKLY T W Vol. LXXIX No. 39 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2011 $1/$2 in Ukraine Tymoshenko case casts dark shadow Ukrainians in New York rally against Yanukovych regime NEW YORK – Ukrainian diaspora members on over Yalta European Strategy conference Ukrainian president attends Wednesday evening, September 21, picketed Ukraine’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations to protest the by Mark Raczkiewycz session of U.N. General Assembly Yanukovych administration’s political repressions, anti- Special to The Ukrainian Weekly Ukrainian policies and backsliding on democracy. KYIV – This year’s eighth annual Yalta European The Ukrainian Congress Committee of America Strategy conference – titled, “Ukraine and the World: released an open letter to President Viktor Yanukovych Common Challenges, Common Future” – probably in which it called on him to alter his political course and defined Ukraine’s place in the European Union more adhere to international standards for national and than any other previous meeting. human rights. “We have not lost hope that you will However, the ongoing imprisonment and abuse of understand the error of your current positions and will office trial of former Prime Minister Yulia accept the burden of honest service to our nation in Tymoshenko cast a dark shadow over the gathering’s Ukraine and beyond,” the UCCA wrote. purpose of discussing Ukraine’s place in the world, The letter specifically cited the cases of imprisoned especially in the European Union. opposition leaders Yulia Tymoshenko and Yurii EU leaders came with a strong message and spoke Lutsenko, who are both on trial on what are largely seen tough publicly and behind closed doors with as political motivated charges. President Viktor Yanukovych. It concluded by reaffirming the UCCA’s mission “to They clearly stated that the EU is not willing to defend the interests of the Ukrainian nation” and to sup- compromise on “European values” when outlining a port Ukraine’s emergence “as a full-fledged partner of comprehensive free trade agreement with Ukraine as the global family of sovereign states.” part of a larger treaty the two sides are negotiating. The demonstrators carried placards reading “No to This point was hammered into President political repressions,” “Stop Tabachnyk,” “Out with Yanukovych’s head by a trio of European politicians Yanukovych, Azarov and Tabachnyk” and others. representing the European Parliament, the European President Yanukovych was in town on September Commission and the European Council. 19-22 to attend the 66th session of the U.N. General “I was positively surprised by the EU position. Assembly. He addressed the General Assembly on [Commissioner for EU Enlargement and September 20, participated in a high-level meeting on Neighborhood Policy Stefan] Fule said they’ll never nuclear safety and security, and attended the launch of compromise on European values,” said National the U.S.-Brazil-initiated Open Government Partnership, University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy political science which supports efforts to promote transparent, effective Professor Olexiy Haran, who attended the conference. and accountable institutions. “Their message was tough, and Yanukovych and the He also attended a dinner for heads of states and gov people close to him heard them loud and clear.” ernments hosted by U.N. Secretary General Ban Their strongly delivered message came on the Ronya Lozynskyj Ki-moon, as well as a working lunch with U.S. business- persons. heels of a recent statement made by German Demonstrators near Ukraine’s Mission to the United Nations protest the policies of the Yanukovych administration. (Continued on page 4) (Continued on page 21) Yushchenko awarded 2011 Dole Leadership Prize LAWRENCE, Kan. – Former Ukrainian organized opposition gave him a platform President Viktor Yushchenko on from which to mount a credible challenge September 19 received the 2011 Dole to President Leonid Kuchma, who had been Leadership Prize in a ceremony at the accused of overseeing an increasingly cor Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics here at rupt administration. the University of Kansas. During his campaign for the presidency “We are honored to give the Dole in 2004, Mr. Yushchenko became seriously Leadership Prize to such a great cultural ill from dioxin poisoning in an apparent and revolutionary icon,” said Bill Lacy, assassination attempt; his face was left per director of the Dole Institute. “Yushchenko manently disfigured. Mass protests, which and the Orange Revolution ignited a fire for became known as the Orange Revolution, the people of Ukraine, and his victory was a followed a runoff round in which Prime landmark for all of post-Communist Minister Viktor Yanukovych had been Eastern Europe.” declared the winner of fraudulent elections. Thousands of Ukrainian citizens, inspired A former chairman of the National Bank by Mr. Yushchenko’s candidacy and their of Ukraine, Mr. Yushchenko served as desire for democracy, occupied the center of prime minister of Ukraine in 1999-2001, the capital city for weeks. The Supreme Court but was forced out of office by parties and invalidated the falsified result and ordered a powers who did not like his economic poli second runoff to be held in December 2004. cies. Mr. Yushchenko responded by forming Yushchenko was officially confirmed as the a broad-based democratic coalition called winner the following month. Eric W. Montgomery Our Ukraine, which was victorious in the Former President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko speaks at the Robert J. Dole Institute of parliamentary elections in 2002. The newly (Continued on page 4) Politics at the University of Kansas. With him is Bill Lacy, director of the Dole Institute. 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2011 No. 39 ANALYSIS Fall of Gaddafi angers Kyiv has new rules for mass gatherings said this will be the second appeal to the court for an immediate resumption of the KYIV – Kyiv City Council decided on court hearings, noting that the first many in Moscow September 21 to approve new procedures appeal has received no response from the for organizing and conducting non-public by Pavel Felgenhauer Green Square being a hoax, conjured up court. (Ukrinform) by al-Jazeera: a replica of Tripoli was massive gatherings of political, cultural, Eurasia Daily Monitor specially built in Doha, Qatar, where educational, sports, entertainment and Pifer sees ‘elegant’ way out of Yulia case other nature, as well as film shooting and The six-month-long civil war in Libya hired locals, posing as Libyan rebels, TV filming in the capital. A draft decision KYIV - The decriminalization of articles and the NATO air campaign to oust faked an anti-Gaddafi victory demon of the City Council is posted on its official under which former Ukrainian Prime Muammar Gaddafi has created division stration, while in fact Mr. Gaddafi was website. The decision notes that such Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is now being within the ruling class in Moscow and still in charge and victorious. Vigilant activities are allowed at a distance of not judged could be an “elegant” way out of the aggravated anti-Western and anti-Amer Russian observers uncovered the Qatari less than 100 meters from buildings that difficult situation currently surrounding ican sentiment. m a d e p r o p a g a n d a s t u n t the conclusion of the European Union- Last March President Dmitry (Komsomolskaya Pravda, August 23). house government agencies or local Ukraine Association Agreement and the Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir The news of the fall of Mr. Gaddafi was authorities. The list of reasons why the trial of the opposition leader, former U.S. Putin publicly clashed over the issue. Mr. unacceptable politically as well as physi city authorities may refuse to hold rallies Ambassador to Ukraine Steven Pifer (1998 Putin denounced the United Nations ologically, so major state TV channels is considerably extended. The authorities 2000), who is a senior fellow for Foreign Security Council Resolution 1973 that carried the ridiculous story of the faked may refuse if an event is planned for holi allowed the Western air campaign storming of Tripoli until it was impossi days, public and religious holidays, or at Policy at the Center on the United States aimed at degrading Mr. Gaddafi’s war ble to continue the pretense. One the time of official events conducted by and Europe at the Brookings Institution, fighting capability as “flawed and defec “source in the Russian Foreign ministry” central or local authorities. Municipal said in an article posted on the institution’s tive” and a pretext for a “crusade.” Mr. accused NATO “of trampling on U.N. authorities may also refuse to conduct a website on September 20. While comment Putin accused the U.S. and NATO of Security Council Resolution 1973” and public event if the organizer was previ ing on Ukrainian President Viktor hypocrisy, bombing and killing Libyan of “NATO ground troops storming ously prosecuted for violating Ukrainian Yanukovych’s participation in the Yalta civilians under the pretext of protecting Tripoli and mass-murdering civilians” law in conducting a mass gathering. European Strategy conference, Mr. Pifer them. Mr. Medvedev, in turn, defended (Kommersant, August 26). Only on People may be also refused for the simple said that Mr. Yanukovych’s answer to the the Kremlin’s decision not to veto September 1, did Russia officially recog reason that “the planned number of par question on the Tymoshenko trial “opened Resolution 1973, denounced as unac nize the TNC as the sole legitimate ticipants exceeds the capacity for their a door to a possible solution.” Mr.

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