TWG Leadership Conference focuses on the future of Ukraine (11/25/01)

TWG Leadership Conference focuses on the future of Ukraine

by Natalie Sluzar, Christine Hoshowsky, Camilla Huk and Laryssa Courtney

WASHINGTON - Despite the shock, terror, and despair that engulfed the entire country on September 11, The Washington Group's 2001 Leadership Conference went on as scheduled five weeks later on October 19-21, albeit on a more somber, and introspective tone. The theme of the conference, "Ukraine: Focus on the Future," offered a way to celebrate Ukraine's 10th anniversary of independence by postulating a future much brighter than the present or past.

Despite the limited flights to Washington's National Reagan Airport, and difficulties in traveling in general, over 100 people attended this year's conference, held at the Key Bridge Marriott in Rosslyn, Va. Most came from regions within a day's drive to the nation's capital, places like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New York. Three die-hards flew in from Toronto.

The conference began Friday evening with a reception at the Embassy of Ukraine. Among the special guests present at the reception were the former ambassador to Ukraine, William Green Miller, and his wife, Suzanne; former foreign affairs minister of Ukraine, Borys Tarasyuk; heads of various Ukrainian American organizations; as well as members of the Embassy of Ukraine staff, including Ambassador Kostyantyn Gryshchenko.

At the official opening the next day, the conference chair, George Masiuk, shared with the audience the conference planners' vision of the future of Ukraine that included: "good relations with the United States, integration into European institutions, a vibrant civil society with full participation open to all, and religious revival."

TWG President Ihor Kotlarchuk, referring to the TWG Leadership Conference as the "crown jewel" of The Washington Group's activities, welcomed the participants. He, too, shared his vision for the future of Ukraine by quoting Robert Orben: "We have enough who tell it like it is. We need a few who can tell it like it can be." The future for Ukraine can be politically secure and economically stable if Ukraine can integrate into European structures like the European Union and NATO. Such a move is a "political and strategic necessity," Mr. Kotlarchuk said.

Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, ambassador from Ukraine to the United States, gave the conference opening address. Ambassador Gryshchenko began his remarks by offering condolences to the president of the United States, the entire country, and particularly to the families of the victims of the September 11 terrorist attack. He said Ukraine joins the whole global community in its efforts to combat terrorism.

In its 10 years of independence Ukraine has succeeded in building a nation, Ambassador Gryshchenko said. A foundation for a civil society has been laid, and progress has been made toward economic recovery. Echoing President George W. Bush's remarks that a stable Europe must include Ukraine, Ambassador Gryshchenko said he is optimistic about Ukraine's progress for integration into the European structure. He concluded by saying support of the Ukrainian American community is vital for Ukraine's future, and such a partnership is possible only when Ukraine itself continues to reform.

Before coming to the United States, Ambassador Gryshchenko served as the ambassador from Ukraine to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. He was also Ukraine's head of mission to NATO and the permanent representative of Ukraine to the OPCW in Brussels. Ambassador Gryshchenko was decorated with the Order of Merit by President Leonid Kuchma in 1998.

The first panel, "United States Policy Toward Ukraine," was moderated by Mr. Masiuk. The first speaker was Dr. W. Gregory Perett, the director of the Office of Ukrainian, Moldovan and Belarusian Affairs at the Department of State, who has a long career as a foreign service officer, serving overseas as well as in a variety of positions in the department. Dr. Perrett, who holds a Ph.D. in modern European history from Stanford University, outlined some of the key objectives of U.S. policy toward Ukraine. He stressed that key among them is a "stable, independent, prosperous Ukraine, tied to the West."

The door to Europe is through reform, he said. "To be in Europe, Ukraine must be like Europe," Dr. Perrett said. He pointed out examples where Ukraine has already taken positive steps to integrate into Europe, for instance, the closing of the Chornobyl nuclear power station and the withdrawal of its nuclear weapons to Russia. He specifically referred to the leadership role Ukraine played in the creation of the GUUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Moldova) cooperative organization.

There are, however, many challenges that Ukraine still faces, recognizing and protecting media freedom, adhering to the rule of law and creating an independent judiciary. He said the upcoming March parliamentary elections present an "opportunity and a challenge," and cautions that the reform agenda is still "uneven." He said the problem is with the preparation, intimidation and harassments that occur before the elections, not with the election process itself.

The second speaker was Stacy Closson, the former Ukraine country manager in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Policy. Ms. Closson traced the bilateral military-defense cooperation between the United States and Ukraine to date, which encompasses over 100 bilateral military exchanges. Noting that the Pentagon provided a $48 million assistance package to the Ukrainian military, she talked about the major objectives of the U.S.-Ukraine defense cooperation. These include controlling the spread of weapons of mass destruction, developing a "rational" military policy in Ukraine and establishing civilian control of the Ukrainian military, as well as the questions about whether Ukraine could, should, and would become a NATO member.

Ms. Closson described two new important projects that will enable the Ukrainian armed forces to face the strategic challenges of the 21st century. The United States is working with the Ukrainian military to develop goals in its military doctrine, and to develop a road map to overhaul its defense establishment. If these are successful, the Ukrainian military will be on par with the best fighting forces in the world.

Christine Lucyk, senior policy advisor in the U.S. Commerce Department, talked about expanding U.S.-Ukrainian commercial relations. Ukraine has the lowest level of foreign per capita investment in the region, and with good reason, according to Ms. Lucyk. Because Ukraine lacks a legal foundation to do business, Western companies are reluctant to enter the Ukrainian market, she said. To improve the situation, certain policies need to be changed, and a legal foundation for business and the protection of intellectual property rights must be established. Ukraine is listed as the principal offender of pirating CDs and software in the world, she added.

Ms. Lucyk concluded by listing the steps necessary to change the very negative business perceptions of Ukraine: by entering into the World Trade Organization; instituting legal parameters for doing business, and transparent tax codes; reforming the land code and energy sectors, and passing intellectual property laws. Unfortunately, there are no trade missions planned for Ukraine at the present time because the atmosphere in Ukraine has not been conducive to business, Ms. Lucyk said. By the same token, the attitudes of Ukrainian entities toward legal business practices are still very ambiguous. It was "impossible to become wealthy in Ukraine without violating the laws," Ms. Lucyk said.

The fourth speaker on this panel was Lydia Wolansky, a last-minute substitute for Michael Pyszyczymuka, the section chief of the International Operations Section at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Pyszyczymuka was detained at his office and was unable to participate in the panel. Ms. Wolansky, the publisher of the Eastern Economist, was not only an informative and dynamic speaker, but entertaining as well. Having spent many years in Ukraine, she provided an overview of the current situation in Ukraine, hitting upon issues in economics, commerce, trade, as well as the defense and military sectors.

She said the economic situation in Ukraine is improving, but it is necessary to keep reform moving under the current administration. She said the powers that be need a good reason to change, but that they have no incentive to try anything different now because they're comfortable with the way things are. Change, however, is inevitable, and it is occurring, most notably in the agricultural sector. Ms. Wolansky said Ukrainians are finally beginning to understand that Ukraine is part of a world community, and needs to have good relations with the United States and with other countries, including Russia. But there is much more for Ukraine to learn, she observed.

A lively question and answer period followed, after which the participants retreated for lunch to the elegant roof-top dining room. which had both a delicious Italian buffet and a splendid view of the Washington monuments and the Potomac River.

The luncheon speaker, Borys Tarasyuk, Ukraine's former minister for foreign affairs, and currently the Peter Jacyk Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University, provided some powerful observations.

Mr. Tarasyuk called the foreign policy of Ukraine one of the most "successful spheres" in the development of an independent Ukraine. It seems odd that before 1991 no one paid attention to the 15 independent republics comprising the Soviet Union. But the emergence of an independent Ukraine altered the geographic and political landscape of Europe, as Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski so eloquently stated. Mr. Tarasyuk then highlighted some of the foreign policy successes of Ukraine. (See sidebar for more details on Mr. Tarasyuk's presentation.)

The first afternoon panel, the "Ambassadors' Forum," addressed the question of Ukraine's integration into the European community by exploring the experiences of the Republic of Hungary, the Slovak Republic and Bulgaria in pursuing membership in the European Union and NATO. The panel moderator was Dr. Nadia Diuk.

The first guest speaker was Ambassador Geza Jeszenszky of Hungary. Initially, Hungary bid for entry into the European Union only, but events in the Balkans made membership in a military alliance such as NATO more urgent. Ambassador Jeszenszky praised the efforts of the Hungarian-American coalition that lobbied the U.S. Senate for Hungary's admission into NATO.

He also recognized Hungary's friendship with Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle for independence. He concluded by saying he hopes someday Ukraine will also become a member of NATO and the European Union.

The next speaker was Ambassador Martin Butora of Slovakia, who explained that the Slovak Republic is not yet a member of NATO, but is actively bidding for membership. Presently, only 50 percent of the population supports joining NATO, while the rest believe that Slovakia can ride on the security coattails of Hungary and the Czech Republic, both recently admitted to NATO. Ambassador Butora responded to this by saying: "If you want to enjoy the security, you must pay for it to be taken seriously."

He offered some suggestions for Ukraine to further integrate herself into Europe. For instance, Ukraine can show solidarity with other countries by joining the anti-terrorist coalition. "The attack of September 11 was an attack on all of us," Ambassador Butora said.

Relations between Ukraine and Slovakia have improved recently, he noted. The two countries are pursuing a business venture in the energy sector, and Slovakia's tough visa policy toward Ukraine has been softened. Ukraine has proved herself to be a steady friend to Slovakia, Ambassador Butora stated.

The third speaker, Ambassador Philip Dimitrov of Bulgaria said his country also is aiming for NATO and European Union membership, although in a much more subdued manner. The recent terrorist attacks on New York and Washington added additional ammunition for joining NATO, and NATO's anti-terrorist effort is becoming even more significant, according to the ambassador. Clearly, the benefits of NATO membership are becoming apparent to countries like Bulgaria, he said.

Ambassador Dimitrov admitted, however, that much work needs to be done in order for Bulgaria to become a member of the European-Atlantic Alliance. He said he is optimistic that in the future Bulgaria would succeed. He also commented that relations between Bulgaria and Ukraine are pretty good.

The final guest speaker on this panel was Ambassador Gryshchenko, who began by stating that, "Ukraine sees itself as a European nation. We are in Europe. We need not have to prove it." He went on to say that the first 10 years of Ukraine's independence were devoted to its own nation-building, establishing a civil society and economic development. He said he believes that Ukraine has finished this first stage, but "we are not there yet," he said.

Although Ukraine has not officially stated that it is interested in joining NATO, it does have a special relationship with NATO secured by a charter. Ambassador Gryshchenko further stated that Russia's interest in joining NATO may be a harbinger of good things to come. Ukraine continues to strive to make its government and military structure compatible with European and American standards, and plays an important role in world affairs as a peacekeeper.

In addition, Ukraine has played a key role at the United Nations Security Council, and opened its airspace to help America in facing the challenge of terrorism. Ambassador Gryshchenko closed by saying," We need to help our own people to be successful. We do not foreclose on opportunities except on anything that would jeopardize our national security."

Many years ago, the legendary sociologist Margaret Mead insisted that, in an agricultural country, it is women who control the economics of that country, for they are the controllers of the food. During the 2000 TWG Conference, the third panel, "Women and Ukrainian Society: NGOs, Community Groups and Government Leadership," moderated by Robert De Lossa, and co-sponsored by the American Association for Ukrainian Studies, examined the role of women in Ukrainian society.

Iryna Kurowyckyj, president of the Ukrainian National Women's League of America Inc., which conducts a multitude of social service programs for women in Ukraine, described the dire conditions of women in Ukraine today. In 1989, 33 percent of the parliamentarians were women, but by 1993, women held only 3.5 percent of the seats in Parliament. Only about 5 percent of the managers and directors of large institutions, enterprises and organizations are women.

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 42 percent of the staff is female, but only 12.4 percent are working in the prestigious diplomatic corps. In 1995, there were 326 diplomats in foreign missions and only 3 percent of these were women. Women in Ukraine are better than equal in education, but less than equal in opportunity, Ms. Kurowycky concluded.

Vera Andrushkiw, the project director for the Community Partnerships Project of the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, is responsible for its sister cities program that matches Ukrainian and American cities. Ms. Andrushkiw said that women have played a major role and have been in the forefront in developing and strengthening Ukrainian independence and statehood on both sides of the Atlantic.

From the very beginning, women played key roles in various aspects of developing a civil society and addressing Ukraine's social, educational and cultural needs. Ukrainian women were always and still are in the forefront of developing all the aspects of an independent society from charities to museums and educational programs for the young. Ukrainian women have done a spectacular job in these arenas, Ms. Andrushkiw continued.

Women make up more than half of Ukraine's population. Most of them are well educated, but they suffer discrimination in the labor market, Ms. Andrushkiw reported. They constitute over 70 percent of the unemployed. The income level of women is one-third less than men in Ukraine, and this gap is increasing. She also cited other statistics: "More than two-thirds (69 percent) of the white-collar labor force in Ukraine are women. However, only 5 percent of women hold positions of authority as managers, directors or heads of departments." (U.N. Ukrainian Human Development Report 1995).

Alexandra Hrycak, a sociologist who has worked extensively in Ukraine, explained that Ukraine's current economic climate is dismal, particularly for women, she explained. One consequence is that women are now more likely than men to look abroad for economic opportunities. Once abroad, they often work in poorly paid menial jobs that native women shun. Although women go abroad temporarily, mainly to accumulate cash to send home to their family, many will undoubtedly not return, unless domestic opportunities improve. This has often led to the trafficking of women. One way to improve the status of Ukraine is to empower women politically. Because of their long-standing exclusion from genuine political authority, women in post-Soviet Ukraine also have relatively little agenda-setting power, Ms. Hrycak said.

Amy Heyden, a director of Winrock International, focused more on how women's NGOs are integral players in the development of Ukrainian society, acting as catalysts for change in their communities. Ms. Winrock started working with women's NGOs in Ukraine in 1994, assisting in the organization of a coalition of women's NGOs called the NIS-US Women's Consortium. She is presently working to implement three projects in partnership with Ukrainian women's organizations.

The first of these is a Trafficking Prevention Project funded by USAID to establish Women for Women Centers in Chernivtsi, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kherson, Rivne, Lviv and Zhytomyr. These centers provide job skills, entrepreneurship and crisis prevention services for women in their community.

The second project is the Women's Economic Empowerment Project, also funded by USAID. This project addresses the needs of Ukrainian women for entrepreneurship training, self-employment and access to financing. In partnership with women's NGOs, Women's Business Support Centers were established in five oblasts: Chernihiv, Donetsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv and Mykolaiv.

The third project, Community Responses to Domestic Violence and Trafficking in Women, focuses on improving the way communities respond to domestic violence and trafficking, in particular how the criminal justice system responds to these social problems. Ms. Heyden is working with women's NGOs in Dnipropetrovsk, Luhansk and Lviv to provide training for law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, medical professionals and other community organizations on how to better address domestic violence and trafficking.

After a very intensive, but stimulating day, the conference participants returned in the evening for dancing and libations and to honor Maj. Gen. Nicholas Krawciw, U.S. Army (ret.), this year's recipient of the TWG Award. (See sidebar for more information about Gen. Krawciw.)

The featured performers at the Leadership Conference brunch on Sunday were singer Marianna Vynnytska and keyboardist/percussionist and member of Braty Blooz, Andrij Vintsersky. Braty Blooz won several grand prizes at festivals in Ukraine, including Chervona Ruta in 1993.

In their very first appearance together, Ms. Vynnytska, who was a member of the Kyiv Burlesque ensemble, and is part of a jazz trio with pianist Volodymyr Vynnytsky and renowned composer Myroslav Skoryk, and Mr. Vintsersky performed numerous romantic love songs written by Myroslav Skoryk. In addition, Ms. Vynnytska performed her own composition as well as a song written by Mr. Vintsersky, who is also a music arranger and composer of jazz/rock. Their performance and the cabaret atmosphere delighted the audience.

The 2001 TWG Leadership Conference concluded with a presentation by the Rev. Dr. Borys Gudziak, rector of the Lviv Theological Academy. The Rev. Gudziak worked with the Vatican in the preparation and organization of the visit of Pope John Paul II to Ukraine. This visit was a "tough one" for the pope, the Rev. Gudziak said. The pontiff had been trying for more than a decade to visit Ukraine, so when the opportunity arrived he prepared for this trip intensely.

Upon his arrival in Ukraine, Pope John Paul II said "Finally, with deep joy I've been able to kiss the beloved soil of Ukraine. Thank God." During his 11 major addresses in Ukraine, all in excellent Ukrainian, the pope was able to lift the spirit of Ukrainians like no one else has been able to do, related the Rev. Gudziak. He spoke affectionately and emotionally about Ukraine's suffering and its tragic history. In his address to the young people of Ukraine, many of who stood in the pouring rain in the muddy fields of Sykhiv for 10 hours, the pope spoke directly to them, saying that he knew their frustrations, anxieties and their disillusionment. He offered the young people hope, and a vision of the future that they could relate to.

The same electric effect was felt by the 1 million gathered outside of Lviv for divine liturgy. This was the biggest liturgy in the Byzantine tradition, the Rev. Gudziak said. People walked about six inches above ground for weeks after the papal visit - such was the joy and happiness people felt. This was truly one of the most meaningful trips for the holy father, the Rev. Gudziak commented.

Besides meeting with the hierarchy of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, the holy father met with leaders of many faiths, including Jewish, Muslim and Orthodox. Pope John Paul II also blessed the cornerstones of several buildings, including the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv.

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