NEWSBRIEFS (05/24/98)

NEWSBRIEFS

Kuchma-Gore Commission to meet in July

WASHINGTON - During a meeting between Ukraine's Ambassador to the U.S. Yuri Shcherbak and Jan Kalicki, the American co-chairman of the Kuchma-Gore Commission's Ukrainian-American Interstate Trade and Investment Committee, the American side proposed that the commission hold its second meeting in July. According to the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, the work of the trade and investment committee was discussed at the meeting. Ambassador Shcherbak underlined the need to exclude discussion on disputes that U.S. firms in Ukraine have from the forthcoming meeting and he noted progress in the resolution of these problems. Supporting this idea, Mr. Kalicki, who is also an advisor to the U.S. Department of Commerce, noted the need to establish an effective mechanism of regulation of such arguments in Ukraine. Mr. Kalicki stressed that, overall, his country supports the idea of Ukraine's participation in the trans-Caucasian corridor project to transport Caspian oil to the west. Mr. Kalicki also said he is in favor of Ukraine creating a legislative and regulatory base that would be attractive to investors. This would mean that investors could participate in the corridor project, supported by stable and predictable tariff and tax policies. During the meeting, Dr. Shcherbak also raised the issue of non-discriminatory access for Ukrainian goods to U.S. markets. Ukrainian steel manufacturers last year were the subject of anti-dumping inquiries by America. (Eastern Economist)

Tarasiuk criticizes G-7 statement

KYIV - The G-7 countries and the European Union are attempting to shift onto Ukraine the responsibility for the failure by the G-7 to implement their financial obligations under the Ottawa memorandum on the closing of Chornobyl Atomic Energy Station by 2000, Foreign Affairs Minister Borys Tarasiuk told representatives of the diplomatic corps on May 19. He said this statement was based on analysis of the statement on Ukraine approved at the G-7 summit in Birmingham, England, on May 15. Minister Tarasiuk pointed out that closure of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant is conditional on the receipt of financial aid for implementation of the sarcophagus project and creation of compensatory energy-generating capacities. In addition, Mr. Tarasiuk claimed that attempts by the authors of the statement to cast doubt on Ukraine's implementation of its memorandum obligations are unfounded. "Ukraine respects its international obligations, including those outlined by the memorandum," he stated. He added that, in order to obtain financing for construction of compensatory capacities, the Ukrainian government had increased electricity tariffs beginning on January 1. He said that, considering the "passive mood" of its partners in the memorandum, Ukraine was holding negotiations on financing for the projects with other countries. (Eastern Economist)

Teachers strike for back wages

KHERSON - Some 3,500 teachers in Kherson staged a rally on May 15 in front of the local government building to demand payment of the previous two months' wages. Fifty of the 55 schools in Kherson are on strike, while almost 300 teachers have declared a hunger strike. By May 19 the teachers' strike over unpaid wages had expanded to 129 schools throughout the country, Ukrainian Television reported. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Tarasiuk opposes politicizing CIS

KYIV - Foreign Affairs Minister Borys Tarasiuk told a news conference in Kyiv on May 13 that Ukraine opposes "the transformation of the CIS into a supra-state structure," ITAR-TASS reported. "If the process of reorganizing the CIS takes on a politicized character ... the commonwealth will be doomed," the minister commented. He also stressed that Russia "has been, is and will remain a priority in Ukraine's foreign policy." In Minister Tarasiuk's opinion, Ukraine has managed to create a "belt of good neighborliness and stability" with its neighbors and is now going to take a "more pragmatic course" toward seeking new markets. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Greenpeace against building of reactors

KYIV - Greenpeace Ukraine wants bankers of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to refuse funding for the completion of energy blocks at the Khmelnytskyi and Rivne nuclear power stations. They say the building of new reactors contradicts requirements of the Memorandum on Mutual Understanding, is contrary to Ukraine's interests and does not significantly improve the energy sector of the economy. The reactors are being built to compensate for energy lost once the Chornobyl plant is closed. (Eastern Economist)

Chornobyl reactor to be operational soon

KYIV - Operators at the Chornobyl nuclear plant have begun restarting the plant's only functioning reactor, Reuters reported on May 13. The reactor was switched off last year for nine months to repair more than 300 cracks in its cooling system pipes. The plant's chief engineer told the news agency that the reactor currently has no defects. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Duma opposition to Russia-Ukraine treaty

MOSCOW - Russian State Duma Chairman Gennadii Seleznev told ITAR-TASS on May 14 that "the treaty with Ukraine will be ratified when the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine considers the issue of the division of the Black Sea Fleet." Hennadii Udovenko, former foreign affairs minister of Ukraine, commented to the news agency that Mr. Seleznev's stance is "absolutely erroneous" and that the ratification of the treaty should not be linked to the ratification of a package of three agreements on the Black Sea Fleet's division. Meanwhile, speaking to journalists on May 13 and in an interview with the Kyiv official daily Uryadovyi Kurier published the next day, Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Borys Tarasiuk said he hopes the Russian-Ukrainian treaty will be ratified prior to Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Yevgenii Primakov's visit to Kyiv scheduled for May 26-27. The treaty was signed by the presidents of the two countries last May. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ukraine remembers dead on Victory Day

KYIV - People and top officials throughout Ukraine remembered Victory Day on May 9. Wreaths at the monument to the unknown soldier in Kyiv were placed on behalf of the president, the government and the Verkhovna Rada, as well as Prime Minister Valerii Pustovoitenko and National Deputy Oleksander Moroz. (Eastern Economist)

Gymnast Serebrianska wins gold in Paris

PARIS - Ukrainian gymnast Kateryna Serebrianska won the individual competition at the International Gymnastics Championship in France on May 15-17. The Ukrainian team also placed first overall, beating the strong Russian and Bulgarian teams. Top gymnasts from 47 countries participated in the championship. (Eastern Economist)

Ukraine and Holland agree to cooperate

KYIV - The chairman of the National Agency for Development and European Integration, Roman Shpek, and Dutch Finance Minister Herrit Zalm signed a bilateral agreement on technical and financial cooperation on May 11. It proposes the development of cooperation in the finance, technical and humanitarian sectors. Holland is the second largest investor in the Ukrainian economy, with more than $180 million (U.S.) worth of investment. (Eastern Economist)

Embassy Internet site holds latest news

KYIV - Information on the principal points of President Leonid Kuchma's address to the nation and materials on the EBRD annual meeting can be viewed on the Internet site of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine. The address is http://www.ukremb.com/. (Eastern Economist)