UCCA's Washington Bureau urges investigation into Libyan connection (12/15/96)

UCCA's Washington Bureau urges investigation into Libyan connection

Ukrainian National Information Service

WASHINGTON - The Washington Bureau of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America Inc. (UCCA) has urged a key Senate Republican and the Clinton administration to act expeditiously to confirm or deny allegations that Ukraine is selling ballistic missiles to Libya.

The allegations are contained in articles by Bill Gertz and Martin Sieff published on December 9 and 10 in The Washington Times, which cited "top secret" CIA intelligence reports reportedly showing agreements, estimated to be worth $510 million, between two Ukrainian "entities" with the regime of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. If verified, such allegations would require a halt to U.S. assistance to Ukraine, including both the $225 million earmark for fiscal year 1997 and $900 million in aid already appropriated. Two previous Washington Times articles, published in June 1996, were dismissed by administration sources, who instead have consistently lauded Ukraine's non-proliferation record.

[In Kyiv, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reacted swiftly to the new report. Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Konstiantyn Hryschenko stated: "We have no kind of military contracts with Libya whatsoever." Mr. Hryschenko called on the U.S. to make an official declaration that Ukraine had not violated its international commitments and sold arms to Libya, Agence France Press reported on December 11. Reuters reported that the vice minister also suggested the accusation plays into the hands of Russia. "It is very strange that such accusations have been picked up so quickly by Moscow," he said, holding up a copy of Izvestiya.

Chief Foreign Ministry spokesman Yurii Sergeyev said: "Someone wants to discredit U.S.-Ukrainian relations ... Someone wants to cut off or seriously reduce U.S. help to Ukraine." Reuters quoted him as saying of the alleged deal with Libya: "No such agreements were planned or have been planned."]

Within hours after the publication of the December 10 article, the UCCA's Washington bureau faxed letters from UCCA President Askold S. Lozynskyj to Sen. Mitch McConnell, chair of the Foreign Operations Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee; National Security Council Advisor-Designate Samuel Berger; and Ambassador Richard Morningstar, coordinator of assistance to the NIS, stating that "the constant reiteration of the same allegations, without official confirmation, is unacceptable."

Mr. Lozynskyj suggested that Sen. McConnell and the administration "alleviate the situation" by investigating the allegations, so that the matter could either be laid to rest or made a matter of public record.

Mr. Lozynskyj's letters stated: "These charges against Ukraine are potentially damaging not only to U.S.-Ukrainian relations, but to the reform efforts in Ukraine which the administration and Congress have supported and which are vital to the stability of the region." Furthermore, Mr. Lozynskyj's commented: "These charges play into the hands of Russia, which is trying to portray Ukraine as an outlaw state, while making claims to Ukrainian territory."

At a White House press briefing on December 10, Press Secretary Michael McCurry was asked: "Have you any comment on Ukraine selling missiles to Libya?" He answered: "Well, you are referring to an alleged intelligence report... On that one, suffice it to say we have very real concerns about the non-proliferation obligations that have been expressed by the government of Ukraine - indeed, any country - and very real concerns about the actions of the government of Libya. And you can imagine that we would raise those concerns very directly."

At press time, UCCA Bureau Director Michael Sawkiw Jr. was seeking clarification of Mr. McCurry's response from administration officials. In a letter sent to Mr. McCurry, Mr. Sawkiw stated: "The Ukrainian American community is distressed to learn of your concerns and urgently requests an immediate clarification of your remarks ... and urges you to indicate unequivocally and publicly whether Ukraine's actions provide grounds for concern."