EDITORIAL: Coming up on the 10th anniversary (08/12/01)

EDITORIAL

Coming up on the 10th anniversary

Well, here it is, less than two weeks before Ukraine's celebrations of its 10th anniversary of independence and at the top of the guest list are: Polish President Alexander Kwasniewski and Russian President Vladimir Putin. That's kind of like getting both good news and bad at the same time. No sign, yet, of an official U.S. delegation or delegate representing the Bush administration.

Frankly, dear readers, we don't even know if official invitations were issued by Ukraine to foreign dignitaries, and specifically to the U.S. presidential administration. The answer to that question, believe it or not, has been most difficult to receive from Ukraine's representatives in this country. (Perhaps, as some observers surmise, having witnessed this waffling on a response, the United States is not wanted at the celebrations?) Nonetheless, we feel it is necessary to go on record at this time to state that it would be highly desirable, and truly meaningful, if the Bush administration dispatched a high-level representative to the festivities in Kyiv. After all, the United States and Ukraine are strategic partners.

Otherwise, it'll just be Mr. Putin showing the people of Ukraine that it is Russia that truly cares about Ukraine. That it is Russia to which Ukraine should look for support and guidance, and - dare we say it ? - which Ukraine should emulate.

And Mr. Kwasniewski, president of Ukraine's best neighbor, will be the only one to cause Ukraine to glance westward.

Thankfully, we do know that there are members of the U.S. Congress who feel strongly that the United States should be well-represented in Kyiv for Ukrainian Independence Day. Rep. Bob Schaffer (R-Colo.), a co-chairman of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, will lead a congressional delegation (CODEL) to Ukraine that is scheduled to leave the United States on August 20 and fly to Lviv and then arrive in Kyiv in time for the commemorations on August 24.

Congressman Schaffer wrote in a letter encouraging his colleagues to participate in the CODEL that "A strong official American presence at this event is of paramount importance - especially at this time when Ukrainians face key decisions about their political destiny. Congress must show unwavering support for the positive economic and political reforms that have taken place in Ukraine, while asserting our firm commitment to resolving the significant problems that remain."

At press time, the congressional delegation includes Reps. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Karen Thurman (D-Fla.) and the Rev. Daniel Coughlin, the chaplain of the House of Representatives. Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.) is to join them on August 23 in Kyiv, where the entire group will remain until August 26.

We encourage our readers to contact their representatives to underline to them the importance - to the United States, to Ukraine and to their constituents - of their participation in this mission to Ukraine.

This 10th anniversary is an appropriate time for the United States, both via its Congress and the Bush administration to demonstrate strong support for Ukraine and its people (despite warranted U.S. reservations on issues such as press freedom, rule of law, piracy and copyright, continuation of political and economic reform, etc.) - particularly now that Ukraine appears to be drawn more and more toward Russia.

The 10th anniversary of Ukraine's independent statehood is not the time to turn Ukraine and its people away from the West and all that it stands for. Indeed, this is the time that the United States should do as is suggested in House Resolution 222: "continue to assist in building a truly independent Ukraine through encouraging and supporting democratic and market-economy transformations in Ukraine, keeping the doors of European and trans-Atlantic institutions open to this nation."

And, being there with the Ukrainian nation during celebrations of the first decade of Ukraine's independence is a significant way the United States can manifest its commitment to a valued ally.

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