Ambassador Pascual bids farewell to Kyiv, sums up three years of work

by Roman Woronowycz
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - A couple of weeks before his departure from Ukraine, United States Ambassador Carlos Pascual addressed graduates of U.S. government exchange programs in which he summed up his three years of work in Ukraine. Speaking to several hundred former students, Mr. Pascual emphasized the progress the country had made in a short period of time. He noted that, "much had changed" and said he looked at future U.S.-Ukraine relations with "optimism and caution."

"Who would have thought when I got here that in May 2002 the secretary of Ukraine's [National] Security and Defense Council would state its intention to make Ukraine part of NATO," said the U.S. career diplomat, while citing figures that showed that today at least 30 percent of Ukrainians support alliance with the former archenemy of the Soviet Union and another 15 to 20 percent could go either way on the question, numbers far higher than the 5 to 10 percent in favor only some five years ago.

Mr. Pascual is preparing to leave Kyiv the week of August 5 after a three-year stay in Ukraine, which began in September 2000. His replacement is John Herbst, the former ambassador to Uzbekistan, who should arrive in mid-September.

Ambassador Pascual identified Ukraine as a country of complexities and contradictions that, nonetheless, is successfully struggling to move towards European norms and values.

The ambassador stressed that, for all the changes still needed to meet requirements for joining the European Union and NATO, the quality of Ukrainian democracy and adherence to the rule of law would be decisive in whether Ukraine succeeded.

"These are two fundamental issues on which Ukraine's future lies," explained Mr. Pascual.

The U.S. diplomat extended congratulations to President Leonid Kuchma on the decision he recently voiced not to run for re-election and expressed U.S. pleasure with the Verkhovna Rada on its compromise in resolving how constitutional reform should proceed.

Mr. Pascual also noted that Washington had no intention of supporting a particular presidential candidate in the 2004 Ukrainian elections, while asserting that the United States sees its primary objective "to maintain a level playing field" for all the candidates. He said that free and fair elections would do much to further Ukraine's claim to European membership.

He warned, however, that Ukrainian leaders must begin to "put their stake on the rule of law" and set aside rule by power. Citing similar U.S. experiences at the end of the 19th century during the era of the "robber barons," he reminded his audience that people such as Carnegie, Mellon and Stanford helped to develop civil society and adherence to a stable rule of law after they had acquired their riches.

He also called on the leading business clans to "reach out to world markets" and not remain dependent on a Russian market and Russian partners who have many more resources than Ukraine can offer and could only limit the country's economic potential.

Ambassador Pascual noted the strong growth of the Ukrainian economy over the last three years and credited it to the phenomenal development of small and medium-size enterprises; the country's macroeconomic stability; its move out of a barter economy; and the government's payment of back wages and salaries while demanding payment of outstanding utility debts.

Mr. Pascual was less congratulatory about success in obtaining direct foreign investment, which he said had barely exceeded $5 billion after 12 years of independence and free markets, and called for more predictability in Ukraine's court systems to garner trust and draw foreign business.

However, he applauded the development of civil society, especially the establishment of independent non-governmental think-tanks, various aid organizations and independent media organizations.

Mr. Pascual called on Ukrainians to be patient, to wait out a transition period that could take a generation, but to note that substantial progress is being made.

"I have said that it would be easier to predict where Ukraine will be in 25 years than in three years," said Ambassador Pascual.

He explained that if reforms are completed properly, Ukraine harbors too much potential not to become an economic success. He cited its "formidable work force," "some of the best missile and rocket technology," strategic location and fertile land as examples.

"As I have said before, I remain an optimist," concluded Ambassador Pascual.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, July 27, 2003, No. 30, Vol. LXXI

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