Morningstar heads delegation on fact-finding mission to Kharkiv (06/28/98)

Morningstar heads delegation on fact-finding mission to Kharkiv

Embassy of Ukraine

WASHINGTON - Ambassador Richard Morningstar, a special adviser to the president and secretary of state on assistance for the NIS, headed an official American delegation on a fact-finding mission to Ukraine as a follow-up to Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright's visit to Kyiv on March 6. He held a press conference in Kyiv on June 19 to release his mission's early findings.

In his introductory remarks at the press conference, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Stephen Pifer recalled Secretary Albright's visit in terms of improving global security through Ukraine's decision to discontinue cooperation with Russia in implementing a nuclear project in Iran. When a Ukrainian-U.S. agreement to this effect was reached in Kyiv, the ambassador admitted that the U.S. was well aware of the sizeable financial and economic losses that would inevitably affect the Kharkiv-based production association TurboAtom.

Therefore, the American delegation's most recent visit to Kharkiv was aimed at gathering information about the second largest Ukrainian city's investment opportunities and exploring prospects for U.S. capital investments into local small and midsize businesses. The U.S. delegation held a series of meetings with Kharkiv municipal officials and business executives.

According to Mr. Morningstar, his mission to Ukraine and talks with key officials are only part of the U.S. administration's response to Ukraine's decision on halting the provision of turbines for the nuclear plant in Bushehr, Iran. This decision, as well as Ukraine's adamant and unswerving stance on nuclear non-proliferation, have been instrumental in a bilateral agreement on nuclear cooperation, under which the U.S. has undertaken a $40 million project for Ukraine. The project is intended to facilitate Ukraine's search for alternate sources of energy and fissionable fuel supplies necessary for its nuclear power plants. In the long run, it will enable the Ukrainian government to save millions of dollars, Mr. Morningstar said.

In addition to TurboAtom, the U.S. delegation visited the Komunar, Monolit and other major Kharkiv enterprises, where they discussed potential markets for Kharkiv goods and potential American aid. Ambassadors Morningstar and Pifer will report their findings in detail to Vice-President Al Gore, who is due to arrive in Kyiv on July 22 for a meeting with President Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine.

The two U.S. officials expressed confidence that the mission's findings and recommendations will facilitate the expansion of relations between the United States and Ukraine.