Tarasyuk continues to push for Ukrainian role in Kosovo talks (04/04/99)

Tarasyuk continues to push for Ukrainian role in Kosovo talks

Eastern Economist

BONN - Ukraine's Foreign Affairs Minister Borys Tarasyuk continued to lobby for a mediating role for Ukraine in the Kosovo conflict on March 30, traveling to Bonn to meet with his German counterpart, Joschka Fischer.

Upon arrival in Germany, Mr. Tarasyuk announced, "We are not following instructions from any other country, and have no intention to substitute the work of the Kosovo contact group with our efforts. Our aim is to stop the current slide towards a European crisis." Mr. Tarasyuk flew from Germany to London and then on to Oslo.

During his meeting in Bonn, the main elements of the proposed Ukrainian initiative were discussed. Mr. Fischer commented after the meeting, "The Ukrainian initiative is an important component of the peace process. We need such initiatives."

Mr. Tarasyuk was in Belgrade on March 26 for talks with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic following President Leonid Kuchma's March 25 initiative offering Ukraine's mediation in the Kosovo conflict. However, he failed to persuade Mr. Milosevic to resume talks with NATO. Yugoslav officials are reportedly skeptical of what they regard as Mr. Tarasyuk's pro-European stance and close links with Brussels.

Russian Prime Minister Yevgenii Primakov claimed a diplomatic breakthrough on March 30 after six hours of Belgrade talks with President Milosevic. Mr. Primakov announced that Yugoslavia would be willing to resume talks with Kosovo Albanians on condition that NATO stop air strikes. However, the agreement came with six as-yet-unspecified conditions and was greeted with skepticism.

Mr. Primakov later followed the Tarasyuk route and made Bonn the next stop on his diplomatic mission, arriving late on March 30 for talks with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder.

Meanwhile, in Kyiv the Foreign Affairs Ministry's Information Department played down March 30 media reports of a possible March 31 meeting between Presidents Kuchma and Milosevic. While the statement failed to deny that talks were in progress, it stated that the issue is far from decided. Mr. Kuchma, in nearby Slovenia on a state visit, commented that peaceful resolution of the Kosovo conflict is impossible without Russian participation.

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