Kuchma points to concrete progress in expanding U.S.-Ukraine relations (03/03/96)

Kuchma points to concrete progress in expanding U.S.-Ukraine relations

by Marta Kolomayets
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - Calling his visit to the United States a success, President Leonid Kuchma told journalists in Kyiv on February 24, that U.S.-Ukrainian relations have reached a new stage, as bilateral bonds have been propelled from words to deeds, from promises to proposals.

"Now the U.S. considers Ukraine a strategic partner," said the visibly tired, raspy-voiced Ukrainian leader, as he reflected on the two-day whirlwind visit that included 17 high-level meetings and 12 interviews/discussions with the press.

President Kuchma, who met with the Ukrainian and foreign media one day after his return from Washington, noted that the trip was "a working visit to receive political and economic support from both U.S. President Bill Clinton and other government officials, as well as leaders of international financial institutions."

The United States is also interested in good, normal relations between Ukraine and Russia, explained Mr. Kuchma, which means that the U.S. is committed to supporting a sovereign, independent Ukraine. "And this is a fact," he said, adding that the issue of the Washington-Moscow-Kyiv triangle was brought up during meetings at the White House.

At a time of strained relations between the U.S. and Russia - with the added threat of Communists coming to power in the June presidential elections in Moscow - observers say supporting strategically vital Ukraine is in the best interests of the U.S.

President Kuchma reflected on the visit, comparing it to his official state visit to Washington in November 1994, four months after his election to the post of president.

"These were two very different visits," noted Mr. Kuchma. "I personally felt that now Ukraine is viewed as a state with an important role - one that guarantees stability, first of all in Europe."

"Very serious changes have occurred in our relations," added President Kuchma, explaining that scheduled 30-minute meetings with President Clinton and Vice-President Al Gore, ran 65 minutes and 60 minutes, respectively.

"Now, the rest is up to us and how we will conduct our policy," he underlined.

President Kuchma, who left for a 10-day working vacation to the western Ukrainian resort town of Truskavets on February 25, told reporters his visit to the United States was not a surprise.

"I knew it was coming long ago, it is just that the date for the working visit was unclear," he explained, adding that this was decided during his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher in Helsinki last month.

"It is very positive that a normal exchange, a dialogue continues between Ukraine and the United States on all levels," said President Kuchma, adding that the next high-level visit will be Mr. Christopher's official visit to Kyiv on March 20.

The Ukrainian leader also informed the press that he was very satisfied with meetings with the Overseas Private Investment Corp. (OPIC), chaired by Ruth Harkin.

"We met with top-ranking U.S. companies - and the conversations were much different than a year ago. There is a great interest and desire by Americans to invest American capital in Ukraine. And what I was extremely pleased with is the fact that among interested companies were those with an energy profile, oil and gas ventures, and agricultural firms," he noted.

He said the formation of a special U.S.-Ukrainian commission on energy headed by President Kuchma and Vice-President Gore was also discussed during the White House meetings.

Media elicits sour note

"I am deeply convinced that someone is behind this," said President Kuchma, commenting on recent information in the American press on the slow place of reforms in Ukraine. He did concede that, to some degree, Ukraine is at fault for not working more closely with the International Monetary Fund, for one.

But, he added, at times Ukraine is simply misunderstood. "You can't just look at numbers for results," he said. "You also have to consider the socio-economic and political situations in Ukraine. And the fact that three years went by and we did absolutely nothing."

Concerning accusations in the U.S. news media that the Ukrainian government had been selling and leasing Antonov 32B aircraft to Colombian drug traffickers, President Kuchma told journalists in Kyiv that a full-scale investigation would be launched into the affair.

While in Washington he had denounced the lengthy report in the February 20 edition of the Los Angeles Times. Mr. Kuchma had noted that "the planes were not owned by the state, but by a company," adding that he does not think "there is any blame on our side."

The Los Angeles Times had suggested that Ukrainian government officials may have benefited from the deals with Colombian businessmen.

"These accusations are simply absurd," said Yuriy Sergeyev, head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's press office.

President Kuchma told The Weekly that the publication of such an article in a major U.S. newspaper during his U.S. visit was by no means coincidental. [The CBS "60 Minutes" segment called "The Ugly Face of Freedom," which defamed Ukrainians by inferring that they are genetically anti-Semitic, had aired on the eve of President Kuchma's first official visit to Washington in late 1994.]

"We have many 'friends,'" the president said sarcastically. However, he did take the opportunity to thank the Los Angeles Times for promoting Antonov 32Bs, giving Ukraine free advertising.

"They called them the greatest planes in the world," he concluded.

Actually, the L.A. Times article called the Antonov 32B "the ultimate smugglers' plane."

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