NEWSBRIEFS (03/16/03)

NEWSBRIEFS

Rada approves national anthem's lyrics

KYIV - The Verkhovna Rada on March 16 voted 334 to 46 to approve a bill on Ukraine's national anthem proposed by President Leonid Kuchma, Interfax reported. The bill stipulates that the national anthem consists of the music composed by Mykhailo Verbytsky in 1863 - the music had been approved as the national anthem of Ukraine back in 1992 - and the lyrics, including the first stanza and the refrain of the patriotic poem "Sche Ne Vmerla Ukraina" written by Pavlo Chubynsky in 1862. President Kuchma had proposed that the first line of the poem be changed to "Sche ne vmerla Ukrainy i slava, i volia" (Ukraine's freedom and glory have not yet perished). The bill was opposed by Communist Party lawmakers, while the Socialist Party caucus did not participate in the vote. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Leaders call for consolidation

KYIV - The tens of thousands of people who gathered at an anti-presidential rally at the monument to Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko in Kyiv on March 9, heard Our Ukraine leader Viktor Yushchenko say that the opposition must field a single presidential candidate in 2004, UNIAN reported. "Otherwise, it will be a failure. A failure for everybody," he added. Yulia Tymoshenko agreed with Mr. Yushchenko, stressing that proposing a single candidate is the opposition's only chance to win the presidential election. She warned that President Leonid Kuchma is seeking to remain in power for five more years through nebulous amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine. Communist Party leader Petro Symonenko called on the Ukrainian people to unite in their struggle against the authorities, but kept silent on the issue of presidential candidates. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ukraine evacuates citizens from Iraq

KYIV - Ukraine's chargé d'affaires in Iraq, Valentyn Novikov, left Baghdad and arrived in Ukraine on March 11, Interfax reported, quoting Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Markian Lubkivskyi. Mr. Lubkivskyi said Mr. Novikov confirmed that all 230 Ukrainian citizens who were registered with the Ukrainian Consulate have been evacuated from Iraq. Meanwhile, Natalia Vitrenko, leader of the Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine, is paying a visit to Iraq together with three colleagues, according to the party's press service. They are expected to return later this week. (RFE/RL Newsline)

France interested in gas consortium

KYIV - French Ambassador to Ukraine Philippe de Suremain told Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych on March 11 that France is ready to take part in a planned international gas-transport consortium that is now being considered by Ukraine, Russia and Germany, Ukrainian news media reported. The ambassador said France's interest in the project is explained by the fact that gas supplies to European Union member-countries, including France, depend to a large degree on Ukrainian pipelines. He added that France's largest gas company, Gaz de France, might take part in the consortium. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Georgia keen on single economic space

SOCHI, Russia - During his talks in Sochi with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze expressed interest in the agreement signed last month by Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakstan on creating a single economic space within the Commonwealth of Independent States, Russian news agencies and Caucasus Press reported on March 7. Mr. Shevardnadze said that initiative is of great interest to Georgia and Tbilisi will study possible approaches to cooperation with the new alignment. He also stressed the need to finish, and to sign as soon as possible, the draft framework treaty on relations between Russia and Georgia, Caucasus Press reported. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Kuwait invites Ukrainian battalion

KYIV - The Kuwaiti government has invited Ukraine's anti-nuclear, -biological, and -chemical (NBC) battalion to deploy in its country, Interfax reported on March 9, quoting President Leonid Kuchma. Mr. Kuchma said Ukraine will not participate in any possible military operation in Iraq, adding that the battalion may be brought into action only for clean-up after any use of weapons of mass destruction. Ukraine's 531-strong NBC battalion is highly regarded due to its years of experience following the 1986 explosion at the Chornobyl nuclear power station. Its deployment abroad would require approval by the Verkhovna Rada. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Opposition reacts to reform proposals

KYIV - After President Leonid Kuchma on March 6 submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a draft of constitutional amendments intended to transform Ukraine's political system, Socialist Party leader Oleksander Moroz said in Parliament that the reform proposals are "unconvincing and inconsistent," adding that most are based on the "false" referendum of 2000, UNIAN reported. According to Mr. Moroz, the "quintessence" of the reform proposal is to dissolve the current Verkhovna Rada and/or prolong Mr. Kuchma's term for two more years. Yulia Tymoshenko concurred with Mr. Moroz, saying the draft appears aimed at boosting the president's authority and giving him a chance to extend his tenure for two more years. Communist Party leader Petro Symonenko said the draft is intended exclusively to strengthen presidential authority. Our Ukraine leader Viktor Yushchenko said it is inexpedient to reform Ukraine's political system while public trust in the authorities remains at such a low level. "The reform proposal disguises the authorities' unwillingness to form a transparent political system," Mr. Yushchenko underscored. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Kuchma pays a visit to Slovakia

BRATISLAVA - Visiting Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma discussed the Iraq situation and bilateral relations in Tatranska Javorina on March 9 with his Slovak host, President Rudolf Schuster, TASR reported. Mr. Schuster told journalists after the meeting that Slovakia has no reason not to trust U.S. arguments on Iraq, though Bratislava would prefer a peaceful solution. President Kuchma said Ukraine rejects any use of military force, adding that the United States "wants war." He said the situation would have been different had Iraq cooperated with United Nations experts from the start. The two presidents also discussed the deployment of NBC units to the Persian Gulf. While Slovakia has already dispatched such a unit to Kuwait, the Ukrainian Parliament will debate the possibility this week. President Schuster said Slovakia is interested in maintaining special relations with Ukraine after joining the European Union and introducing Schengen border controls at their joint frontier. He said Bratislava will ask Brussels to approve a deal similar to that recently agreed on by Ukraine and Poland. Under such an agreement, Ukrainian citizens would be able to get Slovak visas free of charge, and Slovaks would be allowed visa-free entry to Ukraine. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Security officials discuss terrorism

POLATSK, Belarus - The chiefs of the national security agencies of Belarus, Poland, Russia and Ukraine - Henadz Nyavyhlas, Marek Siwiec, Vladimir Rushailo and Yevhen Marchuk, respectively - met on March 5 in Polatsk, northern Belarus, where they discussed security threats, including terrorism and illegal migration, Russian and Belarusian media reported. Mr. Rushailo told journalists after the meeting that the four countries need to unify legislation to counteract international terrorism. He said he passed his counterparts a list of 15 groups that were declared terrorist organizations by Russia's Supreme Court. The sides reportedly disagreed in their assessment of the Iraq situation. Russia and Belarus reportedly believe it is possible to resolve the situation by diplomatic and political methods alone. Mr. Marchuk said Ukraine is for a peaceful solution, too, but added that Kyiv does not rule out a military scenario in resolving the crisis. Mr. Siwiec said Poland fully agrees with the United States that Baghdad has not complied with any United Nations resolutions on Iraq during the past eight years. "Military action in Iraq may be a unique possible variant in the settlement of the [Iraq situation]," ITAR-TASS quoted Mr. Siwiec as saying. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Our Ukraine leader slams investigators

KYIV - Speaking in the Verkhovna Rada on March 4, Our Ukraine head Viktor Yushchenko "thanked" investigators from the Procurator General's Office, the Security Service of Ukraine and the Internal Affairs Ministry for their "insincere work" in uncovering who was behind last month's dissemination of a bogus letter to voters bearing his name and apparent signature, UNIAN reported. Mr. Yushchenko said the mystery could be solved by "any boy from any courtyard." He suggested that presidential administration chief Viktor Medvedchuk's Social Democratic Party-United (SDPU) was behind the release of the false message, and he charged that law enforcement bodies in Ukraine have become hostages to the process of "SDPU-ization" of the country. Procurator General Sviatoslav Piskun assured Mr. Yushchenko and the legislature that the investigation is "under his personal control." Mykola Honchar, head of the State Committee for Communications and Computerization, blamed the distribution of some 900,000 copies of the letter through the state postal service, Ukrposhta, on "legal loopholes." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Yushchenko protests mail ban on flyers

KYIV - Our Ukraine head Viktor Yushchenko said on March 5 that the recent ban on the dissemination of political leaflets through the state postal service, Ukrposhta, deprives the opposition of a crucial means of communication with the electorate, UNIAN reported. Mr. Yushchenko was commenting on a statement by Mykola Honchar, head of the State Committee for Communications and Computerization, who told the Verkhovna Rada the previous day that he ordered such a step in the wake of the dissemination by Ukrposhta of a bogus letter that was crafted to look as though it was authored by the Our Ukraine leader. Mr. Honchar specifically said he forbade Ukrposhta to spread any "production with political traits." Mr. Yushchenko noted that the ban is another encroachment on freedom of expression and communication in Ukraine. Yabluko Party leader Mykhailo Brodskyi suggested the bogus flyer scandal was concocted for the purpose of eventually blocking the distribution of opposition materials by post. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Miners continue hunger strike

KYIV - Sixteen miners on March 10 continued the sixth day of their underground hunger strike in the Bendiuzka coal mine in Lviv Oblast, the Ukrainian Public Radio (Hromadske Radio) website reported. The protesting miners are demanding their wages for the past seven months. Meanwhile, Maidan-Inform reported on March 9 that 47 miners remained for a fourth day underground in the Kreninska coal mine in Luhansk Oblast, also demanding back wages. (RFE/RL Newsline)

In Russia: positive feelings about Stalin

MOSCOW - The number of Russians who believe that Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin had a primarily negative impact on the country has declined in recent years, according to Yurii Levada, director of the All-Russia Center for the Study of Public Opinion, ORT reported on March 4. The country on March 5 marked the 50th anniversary of Stalin's death in 1953. According to the center's poll of 1,600 adults conducted in 100 towns and cities in 40 regions in late February and early March, 53 percent of respondents approved of Stalin overall, 33 percent disapproved and 14 percent declined to state a position. Twenty percent of those polled agreed with the statement that Stalin "was a wise leader who led the USSR to power and prosperity," while the same number agreed that only a "tough leader" could rule the country under the circumstances in which Stalin found himself. Only 27 percent agreed that Stalin was "a cruel, inhuman tyrant responsible for the deaths of millions," and a similar percentage agreed that the full truth about him is not yet known. Mr. Levada said he is perplexed by the results of the poll. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Polish, Ukrainian employers sign accord

WARSAW - The Confederation of Polish Employers (CPE) and the Ukrainian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (UUIE) concluded an agreement on expanding economic cooperation between the two countries in Warsaw on March 4, the PAP news service reported. The document was signed by CPE President Andrzej Malinowski and UUIE President Anatolii Kinakh. "According to various sources, Polish-Ukrainian trade turnover in 2002 amounted to between $1 billion and $1.5 billion," Mr. Kinakh told journalists. "We are not satisfied with the present level of economic cooperation between our countries because their potentials are much bigger," he added. Mr. Kinakh has said bilateral economic cooperation should cover above all the food and processing industries, the pharmaceutical industry, construction and roads, the steel industry, mining and transport, and banking services. According to the Polish Economic Ministry, Polish investments in Ukraine amounted to $69.3 million at the end of 2001, which constituted just 1.58 percent of foreign direct investment in Ukraine. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Deputy cites threat of Russian capital

KYIV - The Socialist Party's Valentyna Semeniuk, who is chairwoman of the Parliament's Monitoring Commission for Privatization, told the Verkhovna Rada on February 27 that Russian businesses have jeopardized Ukraine's national security by acquiring "oil refineries, raw-aluminum production, communications and many other strategic enterprises" during the country's privatization process, Interfax reported. She claimed that the economic effectiveness and technological parameters of these privatized companies have declined, while investments in their modernization and production development have remained low. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Zyuganov warns of 'third world war'

MOSCOW - Communist Gennadii Zyuganov, who headed a delegation of more than 40 Russian State Duma deputies visiting Baghdad, said on February 19 that he believes a war in Iraq would unleash a "third world war" and destroy civil society in Europe, where the public opposes war even as their governments support it, Russian news agencies reported. Mr. Zyuganov met the same day with President Hussein and told journalists after the meeting that Hussein "is very grateful to Russia for its clear position" on the crisis in the region. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Pascual likely to leave in summer

KYIV - The UNIAN news service reported on February 28 that U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Carlos Pascual is likely to leave his post this summer and to depart from Ukraine. As Ambassador Pascual explained on radio, ambassadors usually occupy their positions for three years, and he has already been in Ukraine for two years and a half, thus in summer he will have to depart. (FBIS)

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