U.S. rejects security guarantees sought by Ukrainian government (01/10/93)

U.S. rejects security guarantees sought by Ukrainian government

WASHINGTON - The United States rebuffed on January 6 an initiative by a high-level Ukrainian delegation requesting security guarantees and financial assistance that would have helped President Leonid Kravchuk get the START I agreement ratified by the Ukrainian Parliament.

A senior U.S. official, who asked not to be named, told The Washington Post that the State Department emphatically told the delegation "Washington would not engage in a bargaining process to persuade Ukraine's legislature to ratify its commitment to remove nuclear weapons from its soil."

He was quoted as saying, "We're not going to bargain for their vote. We're not going to bid up the price."

Deputy Foreign Minister Boris Tarasiuk had arrived in Washington on January 5 to confer with U.S. government officials and explain Ukraine's position regarding START I, the strategic arms reduction treaty. He said he was seeking security guarantees from the United States, which the government of Ukraine maintains are essential before it rids itself of its strategic nuclear missiles, reported The New York Times.

"Instead of real help to destroy intercontinental missiles, Ukraine is getting only negative stimuli," he told Reuters. He also reaffirmed Ukraine's commitment to ridding itself of nuclear weapons.

In Kyyiv, Ukraine's President Leonid Kravchuk explained that he does not want to dictate the specific context of the guarantees. He said, "but a declaration would calm the population, it would be easier for me to present this (the START I agreement) to the Supreme Council."

Mr. Tarasiuk's delegation includes Gen. Ivan Bizhan, first deputy minister of defense, and Yuriy Malko, a key advisor to President Kravchuk. In addition to their meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger, a meeting was also planned with Gen. Colin Powell, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on January 7.

Ukraine has come under increased international pressure to sign START I since the United States and Russia on January 3 signed START II, which should reduce the nuclear stockpiles of these military giants by about two-thirds. Ukraine's Parliament was scheduled to decide on the treaty this month, which now has been delayed possibly until March, according to Dmytro Pavlychko, chairman of the Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Russia and the U.S. have expressed concern that Ukraine, which agreed in principle to turn over to Russia its 176 strategic weapons, now is having second thoughts. Although Ukraine signed the Lisbon Protocol in May 1992, whereby it agreed to the provisions of START I and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, its Parliament has yet to approve either agreement. START II cannot go into effect without approval by all parties to the initial START agreement.

Mr. Pavlychko stated on December 29 that three conditions must be met for the legislature to approve START I:

strong and clear security assurances from the West;
direct dealings with those who are willing to purchase Ukraine's nuclear weapons systems;
monetary assistance in disposing of the rockets and nuclear warheads.

The United States has approved a $175 million package for Ukraine, but President Kravchuk has called this "a drop" compared to Ukraine's needs, reported The New York Times. All signs coming out of Ukraine point towards $1.5 billion as a more equitable price tag for the removal of the long-range warheads.

The Christian Science Monitor reported on January 4 that "forces in the Ukrainian Parliament and government have objected (to missile removal), expressing concern about a future in which only Russia will possess nuclear arms."

However, Parliament leaders, such as Volodymyr Yavorivsky, have declared only that Ukraine needs to hurry, but not hasten the realization of its nuclear-free status. IntelNews reported that Mr. Yavorivsky sees divestment of Ukraine's dependence on the nuclear arsenal of the former Soviet Union after adequate guarantees of security from the United States.

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