For the record: WCFU appeals to President Bush, PM Mulroney (09/01/91)

For the record: WCFU appeals to President Bush, PM Mulroney

The World Congress of Free Ukrainians on August 25 sent a telegram to U.S. President George Bush and on August 26 sent a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney urging support for Ukraine's declaration of independence. The messages were signed by Yuri Shymko, president, and Wasyl Veryha, secretary general. Below we publish both texts. for the record.

Dear Mr. President:

The World Congress of Free Ukrainians, representing over 4 million Ukrainians who are citizens of over 17 countries outside Ukraine, including over 1 million Ukrainian Americans, urges your government to recognize the independence of Ukraine proclaimed by its legitimate government on August 24, 1991.

We have been informed that the recognition of Ukraine will soon be announced by President Boris Yeltsin as was done for the Baltic states.

This will be in keeping with the U.N. status already enjoyed by Ukraine and the Captive Nations Resolution passed by the U.S. Congress and reaffirmed by every U.S. president including yourself.

Dear Mr. Prime Minister:

The World Congress of Free Ukrainians representing over 4 million Ukrainians living as citizens in over 17 countries outside Ukraine, including almost 1 million Ukrainian Canadians, welcomes our government's decision to grant diplomatic recognition to the three Baltic republics of the former Soviet Union. We urge you to give immediately the same recognition to Ukraine's independence proclamation of August 24, 1991, by Ukraine's Parliament which is no less legitimate than those of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

This would be consistent with your past commitment to support the struggle of the Ukrainian people to regain their freedom, and is in keeping with the de jure recognition Canada granted Ukraine when it became a founding member of the U.N. along with Byelorussia. We suggest that the appropriate time and place for your announcement would be in Edmonton this coming weekend where the opening festivities marking the Centenary of Ukrainian settlement in Canada are bound to become an exuberant celebration of Ukraine's long awaited independence.

We also urge you to immediately begin bilateral negotiations with the government of Ukraine to establish direct diplomatic relations which would include new reciprocal arrangements regarding the opening of consular and embassy offices. Any program of economic aid should be channelled to Ukraine and other independent republics who alone possess the required infrastructure to best guarantee its delivery to the people.

As a respected leader in the international community you should not hesitate to seize this historic moment. It comes but once. Do not fail millions of men and women throughout the world who still look up to Canada and its Prime Minister for leadership in this regard.