Kuchma meets with Gore in N.Y. at U.N. environmental conference (06/29/97)

Kuchma meets with Gore in N.Y. at U.N. environmental conference

by Khristina Lew

UNITED NATIONS - Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma returned to the United States five weeks after co-chairing the inaugural session of the U.S.-Ukraine Binational Commission to meet with Vice-President Al Gore on June 23 during the U.N. General Assembly's special session on the environment and development. Mr. Kuchma addressed the special session, called Earth Summit + 5, on June 24.

Leaders of the world's nations gathered for the Earth Summit + 5 on June 23-27 to assess progress made on goals set by the U.N. Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Discussions focused on the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, access to safe water, and the preservation of natural forests and the world's oceans.

The summit also provided an opportunity for world leaders to meet privately, frequently in an impromptu fashion, to discuss bilateral relations. One such chance encounter between Mr. Kuchma and Tony Blair, Britain's new prime minister, resulted in the two leaders agreeing to meet bilaterally in July at the NATO summit in Madrid.

Mr. Kuchma's 45-minute meeting with Mr. Gore, who telephoned the Ukrainian president to request the June 23 meeting in New York, focused on progress made in Ukraine's investment climate and anti-corruption measures since the May 16 plenary session of the U.S.-Ukraine Binational Commission. According to Dmytro Markov, Mr. Kuchma's press secretary, the two leaders went point by point, emphasizing what has been accomplished and what still needs to get done.

Mr. Gore told Mr. Kuchma that U.S. lawmakers had noted visible progress in Ukraine's investment climate since the Ukrainian president's May visit to Washington. Mr. Gore credited the work of the U.S.-Ukraine commission and efforts on the part of the Ukrainian government. Mr. Gore also said the United States would provide Ukraine with technical assistance for its newly created National Bureau of Investigation, a body similar to the American Federal Bureau of Investigations.

The two leaders discussed Ukraine's successful adherence to all macroeconomic guidelines set by international financial institutions. Ukraine's currency, the hryvnia, is stable, and its rate of inflation is two times lower than stipulated by the International Monetary Fund. According to Mr. Markov, President Kuchma raised the issue of Ukraine's strict compliance with guidelines, pointing out that even with its good macroeconomic indicators, Ukraine has yet to receive any funds from international financial institutions.

Mr. Markov explained that the United States is troubled by the lack of a Ukrainian budget, the stalled tax reform law and disputes with American investors that have yet to be resolved.

Mr. Gore had only words of praise for Ukraine's progress in foreign policy, however, noting treaties signed with neighboring Belarus, Poland, Romania and Russia. The vice-president said he and President Bill Clinton admire both Ukraine's advances in foreign affairs and President Kuchma's role in achieving them.

Mr. Kuchma also held scheduled meetings with Argentine President Dr. Carlos Saul Menem and Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin. A chance encounter in the halls of the General Assembly led to an impromptu meeting with Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso. All together, the Ukrainian president held 14 meetings with world leaders.

At the meeting with Dr. Menem, the two leaders discussed means of improving Argentine-Ukrainian trade. Ukraine currently exports $12 million of goods to Argentina but imports only $6 million. Mr. Kuchma noted that in September Argentina will celebrate 100 years of Ukrainian settlement. Mr. Kuchma and Dr. Menem also discussed South American participation in the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Conference to be held in the fall.

Mr. Kuchma's meeting with Mr. Chernomyrdin was held behind closed doors.

Addressing the General Assembly on June 24, Mr. Kuchma pointed out that "almost 10 years ago Ukraine was one of the initiators of elaborating the concept of international ecological security, which served as a starting point for drafting 'Agenda 21.'" ["Agenda 21" is the blueprint for sustainable development adopted at the Earth Summit in 1992.]

President Kuchma reiterated Ukraine's commitment to closing the Chornobyl nuclear power plant by the year 2000 and said Ukraine expects the Group of Seven industrial states to live up to their commitment to assist in the Chornobyl shutdown in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 1995 (for full text of Mr. Kuchma's speech, see page 11.)

Following his address at the General Assembly, Mr. Kuchma was honored at City Hall by the New York City Council, which proclaimed June 24 Ukrainian President's Day. The ceremony was attended by representatives of J.P. Morgan, Met Life and the Bank of New York, among others, who shared a champagne toast with the Ukrainian president before he was given a tour of City Hall by Councilman Jerome O'Donovan, head of the City Council Economic Development Committee. Mr. Kuchma also held a private meeting with New York Mayor Rudolph Guiliani.

During the course of his June 22-24 visit to New York, Mr. Kuchma toured "The Glory of Byzantium" exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and dined at the residence of Metropolitan Museum President William Luers. He held meetings with Henry Kissinger, President Richard Nixon's secretary of state; heads of commercial and investment banks; and representatives of Rothshild Inc.

On June 23 Mr. Kuchma met with representatives of the Ukrainian American community at a dinner held at the Harvard Club. Askold Lozynskyj, president of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, opened the evening by noting that Ukraine recently celebrated the first anniversary of the adoption of its Constitution.

In his remarks to leaders of diaspora organizations, Mr. Kuchma emphasized that with the signing of numerous treaties with its neighbors, Ukraine has legally confirmed its borders for the first time in history. He criticized Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada for impeding economic reform and said that the lack of a 1997 budget has caused problems with the IMF, which has yet to release a promised $1.5 billion in aid to Ukraine.

Mr. Kuchma asked that the diaspora serve as defender of the young Ukrainian state, noting that at this time it is important to combat the negative image of Ukraine which is appearing in the Western media. A visibly tired Mr. Kuchma then took questions from the floor for 40 minutes; the exchange at times veered from the planned question-and-answer period to prolonged commentary from members of the community.

The evening was closed by Ulana Diachuk, president of the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council, who encouraged Ukraine to be as successful in economic reform as it has been in foreign affairs.

Mr. Kuchma was accompanied on his visit to New York by Minister of Foreign Affairs Hennadii Udovenko and Minister of Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety Yurii Kostenko, who held their own series of meetings at the United Nations, as well as numerous advisors and his daughter, Olena.

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