NEWSBRIEFS (12/15/96)

NEWSBRIEFS

NATO members agree to expand

BRUSSELS - Foreign ministers from the 16 NATO countries met here on December 10 and agreed that invitations will be extended to "one or more" of 11 East European countries, former Warsaw Pact allies, to join NATO. The countries that have been selected to receive an invitation will be announced at NATO's summit in Madrid in July 1997. President Bill Clinton stated U.S. support to accept Poland and the Czech Republic; speculations also include Hungary, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia, among the first group to be invited. For the present, NATO proposed that a "distinctive relationship" be established with Ukraine. Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Hennadii Udovenko responded that Ukraine will seek a separate agreement with NATO. Ukraine was the first former Soviet republic to join NATO's Partnership for Peace program. The U.S. pledged that no NATO nuclear weapons would be deployed on new member's territories. According to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kostiantyn Hryschenko, Ukraine "is satisfied with the American decision since the U.S. is the largest owner of nuclear weapons within NATO ... but would prefer a more formal answer from all of NATO." Ukraine has been the primary force behind an initiative to create a non-nuclear zone in all countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Russia continues to oppose NATO expansion, but has agreed to meet to discuss a formal relationship between NATO and Russia. Mr. Hryschenko emphasized that Ukraine will insist on a separate agreement with NATO. (Combined wire reports)

Russians wary of Albright

MOSCOW - Russian media and political commentators expressed wariness about President Bill Clinton's proposed appointment of Ambassador Madeleine Albright to the post of U.S. secretary of state. Though Russia's Foreign Ministry officially supports the idea, the newspaper Segodnya stated on December 7 that the appointment of the Czech-born diplomat will create "colossal problems" for the Russian Foreign Ministry. Ambassador Albright is a determined supporter of NATO enlargement. Izvestiya speculated that Ms. Albright's Czech heritage will make her "inclined towards confrontation with Moscow" and that Clinton's proposal should be interpreted as a "strengthening of anti-Russian forces in Washington." (OMRI Daily Digest)

EU Council approves Ukraine plan

BRUSSELS - The General Affairs Council of the European Union approved the "EU Action Plan" for Ukraine on December 6. The plan, which consists of six main points, includes support for: macro-economic reform, 538 million ECU earmarked for 1996-1999; transformation of civic and political life, including the system of education, civil protection, democratic institutions, upgrade of civil administration; Ukraine's entry into European security agreements; regional economic cooperation, such as Ukraine's acceptance into the Central European Free Trade Association and increased involvement in the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Council; closer interaction between the EU and Ukraine, including assistance with investments, bilateral trade agreements, Ukraine's acceptance in the World Trade Organization; and reform of Ukraine's energy sector, with a focus on increasing energy efficiency and improving nuclear plant safety, including the full shutdown of Chornobyl. (Reuters)

Protests continue in Belarus

MIENSK - Approximately 3,000 protesters marched peacefully in central Miensk on December 8 to protest Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's unilateral changes to the Constitution, his suppression of political opposition and Russia's encroachment on Belarusian independence. The protesters demanded the resignation of Mr. Lukashenka. Approximately 20 people were arrested. On December 10, several hundred students gathered in central Miensk to commemorate International Human Rights Day, and demand the release of protesters and opposition activists arrested earlier. Though that rally also was peaceful, several students were arrested. The same day, in an act of protest against the November 24 referendum conducted by President Lukashenka, 40 members of the Belarusian Parliament assembled in the Writers' Union building to reaffirm their support for the 1994 Constitution approved by the legislature and to reject the results of the November 24 referendum. (Combined wire reports)

Filaret calls for Orthodox unity

KYIV - On December 9, Metropolitan Filaret, leader of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kyiv Patriarchate, called for the unification of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, claiming that a united Orthodox church must be created in Ukraine to mark the anniversary of Christ's birth in the year 2000. He announced his intention to meet for the first time with Patriarch Volodymyr Sabodan, head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Moscow Patriarchate. (OMRI Daily Digest)