U.N. Mission stresses statehood of Ukraine (09/01/91)

U.N. Mission stresses statehood of Ukraine

by Marta Kolomayets

UNITED NATIONS - Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Nations Gennadi Udovenko informed the office of the Secretary General of the United Nations that his permanent mission to this international assembly will be officially designated as representing Ukraine, effective August 24.

Mr. Udovenko notified the U.N. of this action on Monday morning, August 26, a consequence of the Ukrainian Parliament's proclamation of independence of Ukraine, a founding member of the United Nations.

During a press conference, held at the United Nations headquarters on Wednesday morning, August 28, Mr. Udovenko familiarized reporters with the text of the historic declaration as well as other documents passed by the Ukrainian Parliament since the coup failure earlier last week. He reported that in the preamble of the act, the Supreme Soviet of Ukraine declared the independence of Ukraine and the creation of an independent Ukrainian state - Ukraine - "based on the right of a nation to self-determination in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other international legal documents and realizing the Declaration on State Sovereignty of Ukraine."

"At the United Nations, legally and technically, this historic document adopted by the Parliament of Ukraine does not change our status in the U.N., because since 1945 (until August 24, it was referred to as the Ukrainian SSR) has been a sovereign state of the United Nations. And we have been treated on equal footing with the Soviet Union, the United States, Botswana, Lesotho and any other country. At least that was my understanding," he added.

"Since the Declaration on State Sovereignty last year, we have been strongly advocating the establishment of direct relations, be it diplomatic, consular, or economic, with foreign countries," he concluded.

"We welcome any country to recognize our independence, as soon as possible, but for the time being, we are recognizing the independence of others, for example, the Baltic nations," he said.

He said he hoped that Ukraine's newly proclaimed independence would facilitate more active participation in the United Nations.

"Ukraine is now working on its own foreign policy. Here, at the U.N. we had a joint foreign policy with Moscow, but since last July, we've been working on our own foreign policy and that includes fulfilling our international commitments," he added.

Although much of the world has been alarmed by the fact that with the breakup of the empire republics that store the Soviet Union's nuclear weapons may act irresponsibly, Mr. Udovenko assured reporters that, as regards Ukraine, "a very peace-loving nation," there is no reason to be concerned.

"We should not dramatize this issue, in regard to the use of nuclear arms. We are ready to give them to central control - whatever that may be, "adding that it may be too early to comment on these issues.

"We are now only in the process of creating our own Ministry of Defense," he said, while noting that Ukraine is committed to be a nuclear-free zone abiding by three principles: not to produce, not to use, and not to allow the location of nuclear weapons on its territory.

Pressed by some reporters for a concrete answer, Mr. Udovenko replied, "Ukraine will find a solution that will be satisfactory to all parties involved," and if the central government collapses, he added, "the Russian federation in cooperation with Ukraine will reach a joint decision."

Mr. Udovenko also said that when Ukraine is fully independent, it shall consider joining the signatories of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, which Ukraine could not previously do because it was part of the USSR.

As for future relations toward the center, Mr. Udovenko said that the Ukrainian Parliament has declared its full independence, and that act will be confirmed by a referendum. "Certainly, we do not live in a vacuum. We have been in this union for so many years, therefore, some kind of economic union is a must. With regard to a political union, this will have to be seen."

"We don't see any problems in our relations with republics," he added. Commenting on the minorities' situation in Ukraine and immigration questions, Mr. Udovenko pointed out that Ukraine was proclaimed a democratic country, and in keeping with these principles, each person has the right to leave the country, if he or she so chooses.

"My personal view is that we must create such conditions for all people, Russians, Jews, Hungarians, Bulgarians, that they will not want to leave our country. This is the main thing."

Currently, the Ukrainian Mission to the United Nations is located in the same building as the Soviet and Byelorussian missions, and often people have mistaken it as that of only the Soviet Mission. "I can just as easily say that the Soviet Mission is located in the Ukrainian Mission headquarters. Ukraine claims 25 percent of all Soviet properties abroad," said Mr. Udovenko who plans to remain in the building on East 67th Street in New York.

Mr. Udovenko, also plans to remain in the Communist Party. "Well, for now the activities of the Communist Party have been suspended," he reported. "And now it is very easy to resign from the party, it is not heroism."

But does he remain committed to the principles of the Communist Party? "I can answer that with a question. Which party do you mean? I am committed to the ideal goals of the Communist Party, good goals of the Communist Party, but not their implementation. Everything went the wrong way. The principles that were declared were as good as those in the Bible," he concluded.