Statements on independence anniversary: U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Carlos E. Pascual (08/26/01)

THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF UKRAINE'S INDEPENDENCE

Statements on independence anniversary

U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Carlos E. Pascual

Happy birthday, Ukraine. Your birthday is historic because for much of modern history your statehood was denied. Your birthday is a tribute to freedom and to those who strived for it in the belief that Ukraine could find its place in Europe.

Much has changed in ten years. I remember my first walk along Khreschatyk in 1993 thinking I might buy a snack. Forty minutes later I came to realize that such simple things were not done in Ukraine - or at least not yet. Anyone who has recently walked Kyiv's streets - or those of Lviv, Kharkiv, Odesa or Uzhhorod - knows that an emerging business class is now transforming the face of "downtown Ukraine." And with the facelift is emerging a new middle class.

Over the coming months, Ukraine has a chance to show the world its character as a democracy. Will its parliamentary elections be free and fair? Will non-governmental groups have the chance to educate the electorate on the issues they face as they approach the ballot box? Will media coverage be balanced? Will the Gongadze and Alexandrov murders be credibly investigated? Can the press pursue the truth and credibly publish it without fear? Inevitably, Ukraine's actions will provide answers to these questions. On these answers will hinge Ukraine's international reputation, the trust of its citizens and the next phase of its journey to Europe.

America's own journey to democracy and economic prosperity was not uncomplicated. We had centuries to change, but a different world in which to do so. Globalization takes away the luxury of time. Ukraine has no choice but to compete globally. If it gets its politics and economy right, it will have access to capital and political structures that seemed inconceivable 50 years ago. The wrong choices will mean relative isolation. That is not a threat but a straightforward modern reality.

Building a modern Ukrainian state is a monumental challenge, and there have been monumental successes. In 1996 a new constitution officially buried Ukraine's Soviet constitution. In 1997 Ukraine and NATO signed a "Distinctive Partnership." Today, Ukraine engages in hundreds of military events annually with the United States, Poland and other NATO members, and participates in about 50 such events with Russia. Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons and is safer for it. Elections for president and parliament, even if flawed, have become accepted as the mechanism to transfer power. The Ukrainian people value their vote - about 70 percent show up each election day. On December 15, 2000, Ukraine closed the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and turned the page on one of the most tragic chapters in its history.

Yet today's Ukraine is still not what all Ukrainians hope it would be. We have all learned that building a new state is harder than tearing apart an old empire. Decayed structures crumble. New buildings take time to erect. Defining a new European Ukraine is not an overnight task. It takes time to formulate the laws and institutions of a market democracy - and yet more time to internalize the culture of a society based on openness and freedom. The Soviet Union found order in authoritarianism. Today's Ukraine must seek a sociocultural revolution, where order stems from respect for the law and the rights of other individuals.

For eight years after independence, Ukraine's economy contracted violently. Fear of change led to economic and political half-steps. Pensions went unpaid. Massive salary arrears mounted. Ukrainians had independence but lost faith in their country. Many friends abroad became disenchanted. For some, a brighter future seemed unattainable as hardship came to define reality and eclipse the dream of a brighter future.

Ukrainians and the outside world seemed equally surprised when, in the past 18 months, Ukraine began to deliver on the promise of a better life. Last year the economy grew at 6 percent; today it is growing at over 9 percent. The growth is broad-based: exports, light industry, agriculture, consumer goods and services are all thriving. Real incomes are growing in double digits. Pensions and salaries, even if low, are paid on time.

Positive change is not a miracle. It is the result of sound, basic economics. There's a reason that barter ended in the West in the middle ages, and modern Ukraine has now caught on. Cash-run economies work better. Accounts can be audited. Budgets have meaning. Financial institutions can function. The path to continuing this progress is clear: a concerted march forward to adopt the laws that will give Ukraine the legal underpinnings of a modern state.

I am optimistic about Ukraine's future, and I find my optimism in Ukraine's youth. Several weeks ago I visited a youth camp where 90 Ukrainians in their late teens and a handful of Peace Corps volunteers formed mock political parties, argued over platforms, interrogated their leaders, held elections and debated social responsibility. Sure, it was for play. But these are also the seeds of a modern Ukrainian democracy.

None of us can predict where Ukraine will be at age 20, but plenty of Ukrainian youth are dreaming about it. Many are starting to realize that the future is theirs to define. That is where Ukraine's hope lies and where we should invest our resources. As Shevchenko wrote: "Boriticya, poborite" (Struggle and you will succeed). And your friends will be with you. Happy birthday, Ukraine.

| Home Page |