Gryshchenko writes to Washington Post

Following is the text of Ambassador Kostyantyn Gryshchenko's letter to the editor of The Washington Post as published on March 1.

The February 21 editorial "The Struggle for Ukraine" did not reflect reality for at least four reasons:

(1) It is exactly under President Leonid Kuchma's leadership that Ukraine for six years followed the path of integration into European institutions, established and continues to develop cooperation with NATO and strives to enter the World Trade Organization. Recent efforts to improve relations with Russia do not contradict this major direction of Ukraine's foreign policy.

(2) The disappearance of journalist Heorhiy Gongadze is a tragedy for all Ukrainians. Along with the so-called tapes scandal, it is being exploited by Soviet-style forces and their allies in an attempt to destabilize the Ukrainian government.

(3) Allegations related to those two issues are being debated in the national media, parliament and by the public, while generally peaceful demonstrations in the national capital, Kiev [sic], take place freely with minimum law enforcement presence. These are signs of a young but viable democracy.

(4) Ukraine needs transparent and credible completion of the investigation of the Gongadze case, further strengthening freedom of press and continuing the progress along the road of building a civil society and furthering economic reforms.

Kostyantyn Gryshchenko
Ambassador
Embassy of Ukraine
Washington

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, March 4, 2001, No. 9, Vol. LXIX

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