Albright in Kyiv to lend support to Kuchma's economic reform efforts (04/23/00)

Albright in Kyiv to lend support to Kuchma's economic reform efforts

by Roman Woronowycz
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright praised the Ukrainian leadership for moving forcefully on economic reforms during a one-day visit to Kyiv on April 14 and for its cooperation with the IMF in resolving lending problems. She also urged government officials to set a specific date for the closure of Chornobyl.

"I think that everybody understands this is a very important responsibility," said Ms. Albright, "but it would be very useful to have a date set."

She explained that plans for an international donors' conference scheduled for Berlin during the summer and other efforts to support the construction of a sarcophagus over the crippled fourth reactor, as well as aid to Ukraine in developing alternative energy sources, would be made easier if the international community knew what day the nuclear complex would be mothballed.

The secretary of state's visit came less than two weeks before Ukraine commemorates the 14th anniversary of an explosion at the Chornobyl nuclear reactor that contaminated large parts of Ukraine and Belarus, and made the world painfully aware of the stark realities of nuclear power.

Although during their meeting President Leonid Kuchma reaffirmed his country's intention to shut down the nuclear facility by the end of the year, a statement Ms. Albright said "heartened" her, he refrained from setting a specific timetable. He explained that plans must be drawn up by a government commission charged with overseeing the closure of the nuclear complex. And, he insisted again, as he has done publicly several times recently, that Western countries must make specific commitments and fulfill promises to aid Ukraine.

Ms. Albright told journalists later in the day that the Berlin donors' conference will supply the necessary resources to resolve the problems Ukraine still faces in shutting down the nuclear facility.

Even though Chornobyl took the forefront in talks with Mr. Kuchma, the main point of Ms. Albright's visit, according to the State Department, was to encourage further economic reforms in Ukraine, which she did.

She explained that she was especially pleased with the current reforms the government is pursuing and praised President Kuchma for the impetus he has provided.

"The United States strongly supports the economic reform policies of the president and prime minister. The success of reform here is crucial for Ukraine's ability to create a prosperous future for its people," Ms. Albright told journalists.

The secretary of state also expressed approval for the cooperation the National Bank of Ukraine was providing the International Monetary Fund in the investigation of alleged improprieties in the way the NBU used IMF money in 1996.

"It has been noted by them and by us that there has been excellent cooperation," said Ms. Albright. "Transparency is the word of the day."

This was the second visit to Ukraine by Ms. Albright, who last was in Kyiv in March 1998 to convince Ukraine to end a support program for the development of an Iranian nuclear reactor.

Earlier this year Ms. Albright named Ukraine, along with Colombia, Indonesia and Nigeria, as countries that are to receive special attention and U.S. aid in 2000.

Between meetings with President Kuchma, Prime Minister Viktor Yuschenko and Foreign Affairs Minister Borys Tarasyuk, Ms. Albright laid a wreath at a cross-shaped monument to the estimated 6 million victims who perished during Stalin-created Great Famine. Afterwards she told journalists that for her it was an emotional moment.

"Chornobyl was a dark stain on the bleak history of the Soviet era. But even darker crimes were perpetrated under Stalin," said Ms. Albright. "My family was fortunate enough to escape Communism. Millions of Ukrainian children, women and men were not so lucky."

Secretary of State Albright also met with U.S. businessmen and took part in a special television program on democracy in the early evening before flying on to Astana, Kazakstan, the first of several Central Asian capitals she was to visit.

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