U.S. official announces new funds for diverse programs in Ukraine (11/19/00)

U.S. official announces new funds for diverse programs in Ukraine

by Roman Woronowycz
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - William Taylor, U.S. coordinator of assistance to the new independent States, on November 3 announced another $170 million in foreign aid for Ukraine for the next year, which will fund several new programs, including additional cultural exchanges between the two countries and a project to further develop Ukrainian interest in the Internet.

Ambassador Taylor was in Kyiv for the eighth meeting of the economic cooperation committee of the U.S.-Ukraine Binational Commission, commonly known as the Kuchma-Gore Commission. He and the new U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Carlos Pascual, spent the better part of Mr. Taylor's three days in Kyiv meeting with Ukrainian and U.S. businessmen, representatives of non-governmental organizations and Ukrainian government officials.

Mr. Taylor called the meeting of the economic committee a success, while underscoring that Ukraine can expect even more financing in the near future.

"A very productive series of discussions have identified concrete actions and clear directions for our cooperation over the next year," explained Mr. Taylor.

He said that during the two days of discussions with Ukrainian representatives the United States agreed to provide Ukraine $170 million, including more than $30 million for improving nuclear safety standards at Ukraine's nuclear reactors and another $25 million to continue highly popular cultural exchanges.

The additional money will allow another 2,400 Ukrainian government and non-government officials and students to travel to the United States to take part in highly popular cultural, training and academic programs that range in duration from several weeks to several months. Over the last eight years some 13,000 Ukrainians have participated in the various programs.

"One of my favorite programs is the one that brings young Ukrainians to the United States to live with U.S. families," said Mr. Taylor. "It is important for the Ukrainian students, but it is also for the benefit of the U.S. student who learns about Ukraine, its history and its long and deep culture."

The ambassador said some of the money would provide for new programs on family health, for combating a developing tuberculosis epidemic and for containing the spread of HIV and AIDS, as well as for partnership programs between Ukrainian and U.S. hospitals, universities and non-governmental organizations. It would also allow for additional projects to fight corruption in the country and supply additional funds for a micro-credit and small loan program for new small businesses. The new financing will allow for the number of loans to be expanded from about 200 loans per month to 1,500.

After the sides concluded discussions on a variety of subjects, including continued Ukrainian economic reform in general, and agricultural and energy sector reforms in particular, they signed two agreements, one a joint statement on the main directions of cooperation between the two countries for 2001, the other on financial support for Kharkiv Oblast as agreed upon after Ukraine yielded to U.S. pressure and canceled contracts to build turbines for Iranian nuclear power plants.

The agreement gives Kharkiv $535,000 for a feasibility study to overhaul its heating system.

The previous day Mr. Pascual and Mr. Taylor visited one of the dozens of new Internet cafés that have recently opened in Kyiv to announce that the United States would support the creation of 14 new Internet sites in Ukrainian libraries throughout Ukraine that will be accessible to the public at no cost. The sites would be chosen after a grant competition this winter worth $400,000. The managers of the effort, called the Library Electronic Access Project, would pick the sites after an open, nationwide competition.

Mr. Taylor explained that, in addition to the $170 million, Ukrainians could expect another $40 million for modernization of Ukraine's defense forces and strengthening of the military technology export regime. He also said that the overall amount of aid to Ukraine for the coming year would increase even more substantially after decisions are made on support for continued agricultural sector reforms.

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