IN THE PRESS: Washington Times on Yushchenko (02/16/03)

IN THE PRESS

Washington Times on Yushchenko

WASHINGTON - "Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko has warned the United States against abandoning his country even as the Bush administration prepares to cut financial aid to Ukraine," wrote The Washington Times in its February 11 issue.

An article by Olga Kryzhanovska of that newspaper reported that Mr. Yushchenko told the news media during his visit to Washington last week that undemocratic forces might turn to fraud and repression to try to win presidential elections scheduled for next year.

Describing Mr. Yushchenko as "Ukraine's most popular politician and the head of the reform-minded Our Ukraine party," the article said he is "regarded by some analysts as the most pro-American candidate in the race."

"Yushchenko is the only hope for Ukraine," Anders Aslund of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace told the Washington Times. "It's not even a matter of U.S. policy; it's pretty obvious."

"The United States is interested in a sober and democratic Ukraine," Stephen Nix, director for Eurasia at the International Republican Institute, which helped organize Mr. Yushchenko's visit, was quoted as saying. "And [Mr. Yushchenko] does represent the largest political bloc in the Rada," having received about 25 percent of the vote.

Mr. Yushchenko also told reporters in Washington that Ukraine is undergoing its deepest political crisis since independence and that it needs the help of democratic partners.

"We need to work together to make sure that elections in Ukraine are fair and democratic. It's the only thing that democratic forces in Ukraine really need," said the opposition leader. He added that the Ukrainian opposition does need help from the West to get its message to Ukrainian voters because most mass media organizations are controlled by pro-government clans.

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