Published by the Ukrainian National Association inc., a fraternal non-profit association vol. LXI No. 51 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19,1993 50 cents MHMMtlflttsiUMiHMMMMMS4iHHMtM...MM...tM^M......f.(K....rJp.rffffff(1fl1)ljrff(lfl(1)lrrrf mrnrw-rftltn CHRIST IS BORLM - ХРИСТОС РОДИВСЯ Hr^tWtWWr^WMre?WPWWre^tJtWHWWWHrlyWH^^ Ukraine challenges Kyyiv chides Yeltsin Russian experts1 for commentary on statement on nukes "evil" nuclear policy by Roman Woronowycz JERSEY C1TY, N.J. - Russian Kyyiv Press Bureau President Boris Yeltsin condemned Ukraine's policy on nuclear weapons as KYYiv - Ukraine's Foreign "evil," during a December 15 meeting in Ministry rebutted a document released the Kremlin with U.S. vice-President Al by Moscow and signed by experts from Gore, reported Reuters. Russia's Atomic Energy Commission "Ukraine is deceiving us all. it is that alleges serious violations in the han– deceiving the United States, Russia, dling of nuclear warheads on Ukrainian Europe, deceiving the whole world, and territory, but admitted the condition of we are so helpless that we cannot deal the weapons is now under review. with this evil," President Yeltsin said, "Problems exist that must be worked according to a story carried on the out," said Yuriy Sergeyev, Foreign lnterfax news wire and by 1TAR-TASS. Ministry spokesperson on December 14; in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Anatoliy "But no danger exists. Minister of f Zlenko said Mr. Yeltsin's statement was Defense Radetsky assured us of this. unhelpful in trying to resolve differences However, we are currently working on between the two countries regarding dis– raising the levels of safety." armament. "We can only express our Gen. vitaliy Radetsky returned on regret, to put it mildly," he told reporters December 13 from a visit to the outside the Parliament building. "This Khmelnytsky region in Ukraine, where a serves the interests of neither Ukraine large portion of the nuclear arms are nor Russia," Reuters quoted him as say– stored, to personally review the status of ing. the missiles. Parliament Chairman lvan Pliushch Gen. Radetsky conferred with techni– also reacted to the Moscow statement. cians and experts while on site to identi– "We have here sweeping accusations, a fy current safety shortcomings and to political statement with no basis, it is develop a plan of action to resolve the even difficult to counter." issues, according to a Ministry of President Leonid Kravchuk's foreign Defense statement. Concrete plans were policy adviser Anton Buteiko told The also initiated to better safeguard the fir– Ukrainian Weekly's press bureau in ing systems of the missiles. The state– Kyyiv: "1 have not seen the official text, ment noted that, as a result, the level of but if lnterfax is correct in its reporting, І safety will increase. am very surprised that the president of Concern about the state of Ukraine's such a great state would say such things nuclear stockpile has been the subject of about a state that wants good neighborly, (Continued on page 14) Christmas card by Halyna Lypa-Zakhariasevych published by The Ukrainian Museum. New York. 1 (Continued on page 19) Zhirinovsky victory elicits fear Rukh gears up for elections by Marta Koiomayets Kostyantyn Morozov (former minister of of renewed imperial ambitions Kyyiv Press Bureau defense) and Slava Stetsko (Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists.) by Maria Koiomayets direct revenge and this should not be KYYiv — Pledging to unite democra– in opening remarks. Chairman Kyyiv Press Bureau concealed," said President Kravchuk, tic forces for spring 1994 parliamentary vyacheslav Chomovil outlined the Rukh referring to the fact that many voters elections in Ukraine, Rukh activists and KYYiv - Many of Ukraine's leaders reacted to the events of October 3-4 in supporters approved a campaign platform program and characterized the political were alarmed by the incoming Russian Moscow during this election. during the first phase of their fifth con– party as a democratic,nationally oriented centrist movement that defends the inter– parliamentary results, expressing concern "But, 1 hope that the government and gress on December 10-12. ests of Ukraine's citizens and" those of that forces such as those of viadimir the president and the Russian people will During the three-day congress, democ– Ukraine, and promotes democracy and Zhirinovsky and his Liberal Democratic defend democracy and will not allow the ratic opposition leaders concentrated economic reforms, it is an organization Party could lead to the restoration of the idea of revenge to turn into state policy," their efforts on building a campaign strat– egy to ensure the defeat of the "party of that, together with other democratic forces tsarist empire. he said. power," as they refer to the ruling is ready to take on responsibility for the Rukh leader vyacheslav Chornovil Although he said he would withhold nomenklatura headed by President fate of the nation and to help create a truly said the victory of the Liberal Democratic final judgment until the Russian Duma Leonid Kravchuk. independent, truly democratic Ukraine. began its work, Ukrainian President Party can be viewed "as Russia's step Chanting "unity, unity," the congress Mr. Chornovil painted a bleak picture Leonid Kravchuk said he is worried toward a pro-fascist regime." delegates were greeted by such political of today's Ukraine, commenting that a about the victory of the Liberal "More than once we told U.S. con– leaders as volodymyr Yavorivsky year ago he thought things could not get Democratic Party of Russia on Sunday, gressmen and European political activists (Democratic Party of Ukraine), Levko much worse, but as it turns out they did. December 12. that something like this could transpire in Lukianenko (Ukrainian Republican "There is a fear, there is a fear of (Continued on page 9) Party), ihor Yukhnovsky (New Ukraine), (Continued on page 16) 2 THE UKRAINIAN WEEKLY SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19,1993 No. 51 Prosvita holds fourth conference KYYiv — Prosvita, the largest com– 1868 and dedicated to the memory of MWmtlEFS munity organization in Ukraine and the Tares Shevchenko. most active language society, held its The Prosvita Ukrainian Language Moldovan anxious over Zhirinovsky for the period of January 1, 1994, to fourth conference here on December 4-5, Society, which today publishes newspa– December 31, 1995. Local observers were in which it ге-dected' Pavlo Movchan to pers in Kyyiv, Zhytomyr, Symferopil, KYYiv - On December 13, quoted as saying the decree is intended as another term as head of the organization. Lviv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and lvano– Moldovan President Mircea Snegur, a measure to counter separatist tendencies Besides Mr. Movchan, the organiza– Frankivske, was disbanded by the began a two-day visit to the Ukrainian in these eastern Ukrainian regions where tion also elected the following as vice- Soviets in 1939, but resurrected in the capital by expressing concern over the the population is largely Russian and presidents: Oleksander Ponomariv, Yuriy late 1980s as Soviet rule weakened. On support given Russian Liberal Russian-speaking. (RFETRL Daily Report) Badzio, viktor Kasban and Zinoviy November 11, 1989, it convened the first Democratic Party leader viadimir Mazuryk. legal forum of an independent communi– Zhirinovsky in recent elections. Met at Belarus seeks Chornobyl shutdown Boryspil airport by Foreign Minister Five resolutions were accepted, one of ty organization in Kyyiv, two months M1NSK - The Parliament of Belarus after its first newspaper, Slovo, appeared. Anatoliy Zlenko and other officials, Mr. which requests thai the government levy Snegur said: "in his campaign speeches, voted on December 3 to ask Ukraine to a supplemental tax on those commercial Besides publishing, the group also Zhirinovsky described Moldova as a review its decision to keep the Chornobyl entities, newspapers and non-govemmen– organizes Ukrainian and English lan– gubemia (district) of Russia." Referring nuclear power plant open, in October tal organizations that advertise in guage courses, seminars on various top– to the controversial General Aleksandr Ukraine's Supreme Council had reversed Russian or English. The resolution sug– ics and academic and literary confer– Lebed stationed in his country, Mr. a 1991 decision to shut the plant down. gests that the money gathered could be ences. Snegur said "And (Zhirinovsky) said he The reversal came as a result of Ukraine's used to publish children's literature. The organization spearheaded the even found a governor (for Moldova) — severe energy problems. Ukraine claims The 43 delegates and scores of guests drive that resulted in the erection of a the commander of Russia's 14th army." there have been technical improvements at also celebrated the 125th anniversary of monument in Kyyiv commemorating the Mr. Snegur met with President Leonid the Chornobyl plant since the 1986 acci– the organization founded in Kyyiv in 1932-1933 Soviet-induced famine. Kravchuk and other Ukrainian leaders to dent there, and thus the plant's operation discuss matters of cooperation in interna– is safe. Belarus, whose territory is widely tional organizations, trade and other eco– affected by the radioactive fallout from nomic issues. (Respublika, Reuters) the 1986 disaster, now allocates about 20 percent of its annual budget to Chomobyl– FOR THE RECORD: Kravchuk's State of emergency rumor denied related items. (RFE7RL Daily Report) statement on national treasures KYYTV - The deputy head of the Russiansin Ukraine cast