Kuchma nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

TORONTO - A group of prominent international intellectuals renewed their nomination of the president of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, for the Nobel Peace Prize for his contribution to world peace and global security.

The text of the 1998 nomination letter, sent on the initiative of the Petro Jacyk Educational Foundation, reads:

"We hereby renew our nomination of Leonid Kuchma, president of Ukraine, for the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize for his outstanding contribution to global security. President Kuchma was the first world leader to show in practice how to prevent global nuclear catastrophe or, at least, how to reduce the danger of its occurrence. Ukraine's internal and external policies, as illustrated, for example, by a series of recent agreements with Russia, give evidence of his steadfast commitment to regional and international peace.

"By awarding the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize to President Kuchma, the Norwegian Nobel Committee would most aptly support and champion Alfred Bernhard Nobel's prime intention, documented in his last will and testament, that the Nobel Peace Prize should be awarded to 'the person who shall do the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.'"

The letter was signed by: Peter Jacyk, president, The Petro Jacyk Educational Foundation, Toronto; Prof. Mark von Hagen, director, The Harriman Institute, Columbia University, New York; Prof. Michael A. Branch, director, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University of London; Prof. Zenon Kohut, director, Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, University of Alberta, Edmonton; Dr. Roderick Fraser, president, University of Alberta, Edmonton; Prof. Robert E. Johnson, director, Center for Russian and East European Studies, University of Toronto; Prof. Roman Szporluk, director, Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.; Prof. Kazuo Nakai, Department of Social and International Relations, University of Tokyo.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 25, 1998, No. 4, Vol. LXVI

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