1999: THE YEAR IN REVIEW: U.S. Ukrainians' letter to Kuchma (12/26/99)

1999: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

U.S. Ukrainians' letter to Kuchma

The letter below, which discusses U.S.-Ukraine relations, was hand-delivered to President Leonid Kuchma on December 7 while he was on an official visit to Washington. It was the result of a conference call held a day earlier among six Ukrainian American community activists who are the signatories of the letter. (A copy was hand-delivered the same day to Vice-President Al Gore.) President Kuchma did not schedule a meeting with Ukrainian American leaders during his latest U.S. visit.

Dear Mr. President:

The Ukrainian American community welcomes you to the United States for your bilateral talks as part of the U.S.-Ukraine Binational Commission (the Gore-Kuchma Commission). Furthermore, we congratulate you on your recent re-election for a second term as President of Ukraine. We wish you success in Ukraine's hopes and objectives, as outlined in your inauguration speech, to continue along the road to a free-market system through economic and administrative reforms and the strengthening of democratic principles on which Ukraine is built. With your election victory, you have the mandate of the Ukrainian nation to move forward on economic and democratic reforms, to resolutely combat corruption and to manifesting support for Ukrainian cultural initiative.

As leaders of various Ukrainian American umbrella and community organizations, we would like to highlight a few points of concern regarding U.S.-Ukrainian relations. Key economic reforms are necessary for the establishment of a modern global economy. Of critical importance in Ukraine is commercial law reform and tax restructuring, which would provide a solid tax-based foundation while fundamentally improving direct foreign investment in Ukraine. Please be assured that we are fully supportive of Ukraine obtaining permanent most-favored-nation (MFN) status, as well as attaining membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO), and we expect that Vice-President Gore will provide assurances in this regard during your meeting.

The year 2000 brings with it many challenges for the entire world's economy. Ukraine has committed to close the Chornobyl nuclear power plant by the end of the century to prevent future nuclear disasters from wreaking havoc on Ukraine and its neighboring countries. We urge you to coordinate your efforts with the international community to the commitment expressed in the 1995 G-7 Memorandum of Understanding, for the proper closure of the Chornobyl energy station. We welcome the endeavors undertaken by you and Vice-President Gore to fulfill the Shelter Implementation Plan (SIP) to prevent the further release of radioactive contaminants into the atmosphere. We hope that both the G-7 and Ukraine will make more progress in resolving these issues. Furthermore, we have been assured that significantly more money will be available for the closure of Chornobyl, as well as for the completion of the Rivne and Khmelnytskyi nuclear power stations.

The continuation of democratic principles remains the keystone to the continuing development of any law-based society. Independent Ukraine has been blessed with a broad spectrum of opinion, particularly in the printed media. Yet numerous charges have appeared in the Ukrainian and the Western press regarding pressure by your Administration, through tax audits, etc., on media outlets, thus resulting in their closing or suspension. Additionally, the plight of women and children in Ukraine have landed many of them in foreign countries against their own will, as opportunities of wealth and comfort are promised to them. These accusations trouble the Ukrainian American community and, therefore, we plead for your continued dedication to the preservation of democratic rule and a free-based media in Ukraine.

We welcome your administration's Westward-leaning foreign policy, as evidenced by Ukraine's strategic partnership with the United States, its collaboration within the Partnership for Peace (PfP) program, and its relations with NATO. We also urge you to continue expanding Ukraine's close cooperation with Euro-Atlantic structures and to indicate Ukraine's intent to eventually become a full-fledged member of the NATO alliance, which would foster a more expeditious entry of Ukraine into the European Union and would provide additional benefits to the safety and security of Ukraine's citizens and the stability of countries in Central and East Europe.

As a community we have dedicated many of our resources, time and energy to promote a prosperous, independent and democratic Ukrainian state. We will continue to focus our efforts on strengthening the development of closer ties between the United States and Ukraine, as well as emphasize the opening of American markets for Ukrainian products. In your next term as President of Ukraine, we hope that you will be blessed with good health and great energy to rededicate your efforts to lead Ukraine on the path of democracy, international standards and the rule of law.

We understand that these various issues facing Ukraine at the present moment must be viewed in relevant terms, thus we also call upon the United States government to approach Ukraine on an equal basis with other countries of the world. While in Washington, we wish you very successful meetings with President Clinton, Vice-President Gore, and other officials of the United States government, as well as representatives from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

God Bless the United States of America!

God Bless Ukraine!

Sincerely,

Askold S. Lozynskyj, President
Ukrainian Congress Committee of America

Ihor Gawdiak, President
Ukrainian American Coordinating Council

Orest Deychakiwsky, President
The Washington Group

Iryna Kurowyckyj, President
Ukrainian National Women's League of America

Julian Kulas, President
First Security Federal Savings Bank

Michael Sawkiw Jr., Director
Ukrainian National Information Service

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