www.ukrweekly.com 1NS1DE: 9 The Donbas factor in the elections - page 3. - The Ukrainian diplomatic presence in the U.S. - page 5. ^ Ukrainian "fleet" arrives in New Zealand - page 1 3. THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY Published by the Ukrainian National Association inc., a fraternal non-profit association vol. LXII No. 13 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 27,1994 50 cents ANALYS1S: U.S. defense secretary promotes denuclearization military aid, S250 million of which has Election eve visits Pervomaiske, been extended to date. Half the Si00 million outlay is dedi– in Ukraine pledges new funds cated to the continued de-activization of Ukraine's nuclear warheads and their by Myron Wasylyk by Roman Woronowycz removal to Russia. RFESRL Research Report Kyyiv Press Bureau Of the S440 million in new funds After almost two years of grid- KYYiv - United States Defense granted, S20 million will be used to build lock, Ukrainian politics has been Secretary William Perry in his first visit housing for soldiers and officers who are galvanized by the approach of the here announced on March 23 that the being released as Ukraine reduces its mil– parliamentary elections scheduled U.S. will release to Ukraine S100 million itary forces. The other S20 million will for March 27. With more than for continued denuclearization, military go to conversion of Ukraine's military- 5,800 registered candidates compet– conversion and housing for soldiers. Of industrial complex to the private sector. ing for 450 seats, most election that amount, S40 million are new funds. The last S10 million will help Ukraine contests will probably be decided Mr. Perry also confirmed that to date develop security controls for its nuclear during the April 10 runoffs. 120 SS-10 nuclear warheads had been technologies and products. On February 25 Ukraine's removed from Ukraine in two shipments Secretary visits nuclear weapons site Parliament, the Supreme Council, and that 30 SS-24s had been de-activat– concluded the last plenary session ed. "A second shipment of SS-19s left for On March 22, the defense secretary of its 12th sitting. For all its short- Russia on March 16," said the defense flew to Pervomaiske, where a large por– comings, the outgoing Parliament secretary. tion of Ukraine's nuclear weapons is held will be assigned a special place in He had just finished three days of talks in hardened silos. He was accompanied ! Khristina Lew Ukrainian history. The people's with Ukraine's leaders, including by Defense Minister Radetsky. There the Secretary of Defense William Perry deputies voted into office following President Leonid Kravchuk and Defense entourage viewed the silos and the the March 1990 election, most of Minister vitally Radetsky. nuclear missile command and control to destroy every major city in the U.S." center. them nominees of the Communist The defense secretary said most of the The military leaders also traveled to Party of Ukraine, will be remem– money will come from funds earmarked Commenting on the facility, Secretary Dnipropetrovske to view the Pivdenmash bered primarily for asserting the for Ukraine through the Nunn-Lugar Act. Perry said, "As 1 stood there (watching republic's sovereignty (July 16, A Department of Defense spokesperson the two operators demonstrate pre-launch (Yuzhmash in Russian) missile factory, 1990) and subsequently declaring traveling with Secretary Perry said it inspection procedures), 1 must admit І where the Soviet Union's SS-18 nuclear the country's independence from brings the amount now dedicated to de- was awed. The two operators control 100 missiles were once assembled. Today, Moscow (August 24, 1991). They nuclearization to S185 million. U.S. missiles with almost 800 warheads tar– the mammoth industrial center has been may also be remembered for peace– President Bill Clinton has promised geted at the U.S." He went on, "The two converted to private sector use and pro- fully leaving Ukraine's political Ukraine S700 million for economic and operators have in their hands the ability continued on page 17) scene a year before their terms offi– cially expired, thereby giving voters the opportunity to elect reform- minded deputies committed to Monitors say electoral commission is uncooperative reversing the country's precipitous economic decline. institute (ND1). She said the CEC has requested. He said he expected at least 500 observers arrive resisted the NDl's requests for informa– the ballots before election day. Outgoing Parliament's record tion and clarification of issues at every Mr. De Zayas, who is also a professor The departing deputies will be from 53 countries turn. "They just seem to be above it all," of law at DePaul University in Chicago, she said. said he still believes the government judged on the 364 laws and 1,103 by Roman Woronowycz At a briefing for the foreign press that wants open, fair elections. "They want to resolutions adopted by the Kyyiv Press Bureau Parliament over a period of three has invaded Kyyiv as elections near, the see the elections go off smoothly and and half years. Many of these laws KYYiv - On the eve of the first elec– English-language editor of the Elections democratically." laid the foundations for Ukraine's tions of a Ukrainian Parliament since 94 press center, Roman Zvarych, told the Jack Zetkuiic, deputy director of the independent democratic statehood. independence, many here, including gathered that the center has had no coop– Conference on Security and Cooperation Charting independent Ukraine's international observers, said the Central eration from the CEC. "They have called in Europe and the CSCE observer team new foreign and security policies Electoral Commission (CEC) has been us illegitimate. You understand that this coordinator, said he has had difficulties and keeping the country at peace uncooperative and has withheld informa– makes the press bastards," he said. with the CEC. "We have faced a lot of were two other notable achieve– tion, a situation ripe for vote manipula– Mr. Zvarych also explained that the administrative problems, mainly related ments of the outgoing Parliament. tion and electoral fraud. CEC has maintained practices that border to old habits about sharing information As it helped preserve domestic More than 500 international observers on the illegal. A complete list of all the on the elections. We will only know on tranquility between Ukraine's vari– from 53 countries moved into Ukraine candidates running for election and the Sunday night or Monday morning, after ous ethnic and religious groups, the the week of March 21, preparing to mon– electoral district in which they are run– all the reports are in, whether we were Parliament also managed to steer itor the March 27 elections. ning was to have been released by the allowed to do our work." the country closer to European They will keep an eye on the election CEC five days after registration dead- Essentially the work that the election political, economic and security process as nearly 6,000 candidates vie for lines passed in February, in accordance observers are here to do is to make sure structures. Furthermore, under the 450 Parliament seats in what many here with the Ukrainian electoral law passed every voter has access to polling Parliament's supervision, the coun– believe could become a circus. in November 1993. "To date we have precincts and can freely make his choice The general consensus is that the large received nothing from them, although we as to the candidate he will vote for. This (Continued on page 9) field will not allow enough candidates to are constantly asking for the list," said includes making sure that ballots are win election for the Parliament to be Mr. Zvarych. legal and not tampered with after people The author, an official in the U.S. seated and will force run-offs two weeks The United Nations observer team said have noted, it also entails ensuring that State Department from 1989 to later. it has had "reasonably good cooperation" people are not coerced into a making a 1993, is currently living in Kyyiv, Particularly critical of the CEC, which from the CEC. But Alfred de Zayas, rep– choice not of their own free will. where he is executive director of the has a government mandate to organize and resentative here for U.N. Secretary in addition to the U.N., the CSCE and Council of Advisors to the oversee elections and comes under the General Boutrous Boutros-Ghali, said the ND1, observer teams are present here Ukrainian Parliament. authority of the Cabinet of Ministers, is they also have not received the list of Marta Baziuk of the National Democratic candidates or the sample ballots they (Continued on page 16) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, MARCH 27, 1994 No. 13 ANALYSlS: Presidential elections and continuing tensions in Crimea Miners strike to hit amidst elections plies if the debt settlement timetable is not by Dr. Roman Solchanyk "reunion" did not evoke much consterna– kept. So far, Ukraine has paid Gazprom RFESRL Research institute tion either in the Crimea, Russia or MAKlYivKA, Donetske Oblast - At S59 million of its arrears. On March 10, Ukraine for the simple reason that bor– a meeting held here on March 22, the the two sides agreed that the debtor coun– After an inconclusive first round of ders between the Soviet republics were, council of trade union representatives of try's counterpart, Ukrhazprom, would voting, on January 30 Crimeans returned for all intents and purposes, a fiction. Donbas miners decided to hold their gen– cede a substantial amount of its shares and to the polling stations and chose Yuriy Today, the Crimea is the only large eral strike shortly after the first round of operations and an additional Si00 million Meshkov as their first president.