Ukrainian American community's position on U.S. relations with Ukraine (02/20/94)

Ukrainian American community's position on U.S. relations with Ukraine

Below is the full text of the Ukrainian American community's position regarding United States relations with Ukraine. This position paper was presented to President Bill Clinton and other members of his administration on February 10.

Ukrainian American are united in their support for the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine. As Americans, we believe that a democratic and independent Ukraine is in the national security interests of the United States and consistent with our traditions of support for individual freedom and self-determination.

Background

Under Russian and other foreign rule for centuries, Ukraine suffered the destruction of its culture, language, religions and national identity. In the wake of the first world war, Ukraine proclaimed its independence on January 22, 1918, and announced that it would be a neutral nation with no territorial claims against its neighbors. The government of Ukraine dismantled its military in an effort to demonstrate its goodwill. Immediately, Ukraine came under attack by Russian tsarist, Russian Bolshevik and German forces. Its naive policies resulted in the division of Ukraine among Russia, Poland, Romania, Hungary and Czecho-Slovakia.

Under Soviet rule, the Ukrainian people again became victims to a policy of genocide that entailed policies to destroy the Ukrainian identity, including the language, history, religions and culture. This policy culminated in the man-made famine of 1932-1933, which claimed the lives of over 7 million men, women and children. As the main battleground of the Eastern Front of World War II, Ukrainians suffered another 7.5 million casualties (both civilian and military) at the hands of the Soviets and Nazis.

In April 1986, the Chornobyl nuclear accident again threatened the very survival of the Ukrainian people. The long-term effects of the nuclear contamination of Ukraine are just beginning to appear. With the Chornobyl experience, the Ukrainian people realized, as never before, that their survival as a people was dependent on their controlling their own destiny.

On August 24, 1991, the Ukrainian Parliament passed the Act of the Declaration of Independence of Ukraine by an overwhelming majority. The declaration acknowledged the "thousand-year tradition of state-building in Ukraine," and referred to the act as the realization of the July 1990 Declaration on State Sovereignty. In the true meaning of democracy, the independence declaration was made subject to confirmation by the people of Ukraine in a referendum on December 1. Over 90 percent of the people supported that declaration of independence.

The government of Ukraine declared its intention to be a neutral and non-nuclear nation. Within months of independence, Ukraine removed 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons from its soil. Even prior to ratification of any arms control treaties, Ukraine began the dismantlement of strategic nuclear weapons. However, during the past two years, Ukraine has again become the target of efforts by the Russian government to undermine its independence and territorial integrity. These efforts include acts of the Russian Parliament and statements by Russian government officials including the president and foreign minister.

At the initiation of the United States, on January 14, 1994, Ukraine signed a tripartite agreement to remove all nuclear weapons from the territory of Ukraine. Its Parliament ratified that agreement on February 3, 1994.

The Ukrainian American community believes that the United States has an obligation to assist Ukraine in defense of its national security and territorial integrity, and in its efforts to institutionalize democratic and economic reforms. Furthermore, the Ukrainian American community believes that the national security interests of the United States lie in the fulfillment of that obligation.

The Ukrainian American community urges the government of the United States to immediately initiate the following actions:

I. Forceful and public reaffirmation of United States recognition of and support for the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

A. The United States must strongly reaffirm its recognition of Ukraine as a unitary state and does not recognize the right of any region of Ukraine to secede.

B. In light of past Russian claims to the territory of the Crimea and the recent elections in the Crimea, it is imperative that the United States inform Russia that any claims on the territory of Ukraine (including the Crimea), instigation or support of secessionist movements within Ukraine, or interference in the internal affairs of Ukraine will be strongly condemned, and that the United States will take appropriate actions.

C. The signing of the Charter of American-Ukrainian Partnership, Friendship and Cooperation by the United States and Ukraine should be undertaken during President Kravchuk's visit to the United States.

D. U.S.-Ukrainian cooperative programs in the field of national security should be expanded.

E. Ukraine recently signed the Partnership for Peace agreement. We urge the government to lend real meaning and substance to this partnership agreement.

II. Expansion of United States foreign assistance for Ukraine.

A. While the population of Ukraine is 18.2 percent of the NIS, of the U.S. assistance for NIS nations Ukraine received only 5.9 percent during fiscal yeas 1992 and 1993, and only 2.7 percent in fiscal year 1994. Ukraine's needs for technical and economic assistance are as severe as that of any other NIS nation. U.S. assistance to Ukraine should be expended to, at least, 18 percent of total U.S. assistance for NIS nations. Specific areas of assistance include:

1. development of alternative sources of oil and gas to reduce Ukraine's dependence on Russia, including exploration of possible oil and gas fields in Ukraine;
2. establishment of a Ukrainian Privatization Fund and expansion of privatization programs;
3. creation and funding of a separate U.S.-Ukraine Enterprise Fund;
4. modernization of agriculture and agribusiness;
5. technical assistance for management, law, accounting and finance;
6. nuclear reactor safety;
7. environmental clean-up and planning;
8. military conversion;
9. infrastructure modernization, including telecommunications and transportation;
10. medical and health care;
11. military housing;
12. democratic institution building, including the development of an independent media;
13. development of financial institutions, particularly credit unions;
14. increased exchange programs.

B. The Ukrainian American community is a well-organized community with financial institutions (over $1 billion in assets), professional, cultural, women's humanitarian and youth organizations as well as a communications network. These institutions understand the political, economic and cultural situation in Ukraine, have professionals with language abilities, and have a long-term commitment to Ukraine. Greater use of these institutions the delivery of U.S. assistance to Ukraine would result in more effective and efficient use of limited resources. Efforts should be undertaken by USAID, USIA and other agencies to institute outreach programs to Ukrainian-American community organizations and procedures should be streamlined to facilitate their participation.

C. Many of USAID programs are NIS-wide assistance programs. The problems facing Ukraine differ dramatically from those facing Russia, Armenia, Uzbekistan and others. Generic programs are ineffective and inefficient, and leave the impression that the United States still considers the nations of the NIS as one entity. U.S. assistance programs should be country-specific, especially with regard to Ukraine.

D. In light of Ukraine's commitment to dismantle the nuclear weapons on its territory, Ukraine should be provided additional assistance from the so-called Nunn-Lugar funds.

III. Increased assistance from financial institutions.

A. The United States should use its position in international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to urge greater technical assistance for Ukraine.

B. The United States should urge greater flexibility in the providing of loans and loan guarantees by financial institutions including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Export-Import Bank of the United States and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.

C. The United States should work with international financial institutions for the creation of a Currency Stabilization Fund for Ukraine in the nearest possible time frame.

IV. Programs to encourage U.S. investment in Ukraine.

A. The long-term development of Ukraine will be based not on U.S. foreign assistance but on foreign investment. The United States should develop programs to encourage the private sector in the United States to invest in Ukraine. Such programs are in the long-term political and economic interests of both the United States and Ukraine.

V. Increased cooperative programs with Ukraine.

A. Much of the technical base of the former Soviet Union was located in Ukraine. However, many of the cooperative programs established by the United States have been solely with Russia. One such example is space and space technology. Efforts should be undertaken to explore areas of cooperation in those fields where Ukraine has the technological or resource base.

VI. Reorganization of the United States government's structure for relations with Ukraine.

A. Currently, the Department of State and other government departments and agencies work with Ukraine through offices designated as "Russia, Ukraine and other Eurasian Nations" or "Russia, Ukraine and other Newly Independent States." To continue to work with 12 of the nations that emerged from the Soviet Union as though they were still part of a larger entity, i.e. the Soviet Union, is ineffective and politically damaging. Relations with each of the 12 nations should be through offices that are based on geography. Ukraine should be within the Central/East European offices of the various departments and agencies.

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