1995: THE YEAR IN REVIEW: Ukraine and the U.N.: the 50th anniversary (12/31/95)

1995: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Ukraine and the U.N.: the 50th anniversary

The United Nations celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1995 with high pomp and 170 major world leaders attending a special session on October 22, including Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma. He spoke after U.S. President Bill Clinton, as host, gave the greeting.

Although some world leaders said speaking last meant the final word, the Ukrainian president was on first. Ukraine's Ambassador to the United Nations Anatoliy Zlenko said at a press briefing several weeks before the event that it was "a stroke of luck" that Ukraine drew what was essentially the first speaking slot for a foreign leader and that "a star has shined on Ukraine again."

President Kuchma was given that opportunity after Ukraine won a lottery conducted among the member-states of the U.N. in June. It gave him the platform from which he could emphasis that Ukraine is non-nuclear: "I am certain that establishing a special status, with international security guarantees, consolidated financial and technical assistance, and moral stimuli would be a colossal impetus for disarmament."

Mr. Kuchma underscored that a key mission of the U.N. must be the integration of the new independent states into the regime of the post-Cold War world. The president of Ukraine also said that financing the body is a major concern to most countries. In an interview carried in The Weekly on September 17, written by Tamara Tarnawska Nahaylo, U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali explained that the United States is the third largest debtor country of the U.N., a point re-emphasized by Ambassador Zlenko at a pre-jubilee press briefing, where he took pains to underscore that Ukraine will substantially reduce its own debt.

While in New York, President Kuchma also spent time with the Ukrainian American community at a banquet at the Waldorf Astoria, where 500 people feted the president and where he met with Ukrainian American leaders for an hour prior to the dinner.

Perhaps the opening of the Ukrainian Mission to the United Nations on October 23 was more significant for Ukraine. It took yards and scores of material from carpenters and workers from the United States, and entrepreneurs also, for a home to be built for a concrete Ukrainian representation in the world body. Participating in the celebration, which occurred before the banquet, were Mr. Kuchma, Foreign Minister Hennadiy Udovenko, the president's Chief of Staff Dmytro Tabachnyk, Minister of Foreign Economics and Trade Serhiy Osyka, Ambassador to the United States Yuri Shcherbak and Ambassador Zlenko.

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