Columbia University honors Zlenko with Distinguished Statesman Award (10/05/03)

Columbia University honors Zlenko with Distinguished Statesman Award

by Andrew Nynka

NEW YORK - Columbia University's Harriman Institute and the School of International and Public Affairs presented former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Anatolii Zlenko with the Distinguished Statesman Award on September 25.

Mr. Zlenko was chosen for the award "because of his achievements in Ukrainian-U.S. relations in particular, but in general for his role in helping steer Ukraine through a very difficult set of years," said Mark von Hagen, professor of history at Columbia University. Dr. von Hagen is also president of the International Association of Ukrainian Studies (IAUS) and is the former director of the Harriman Institute.

The award was presented to Mr. Zlenko by Lisa Anderson, dean of the university's School of International and Public Affairs.

"Mr. Zlenko has made an enormous difference in his country and in relations between his country and the rest of the world," said Dr. Anderson.

In accepting the award, presented at Columbia University's prestigious Kellog Center, Mr. Zlenko said that a statesman is someone who "submits his life to fulfill the aspirations of his fellow human beings." He added, "I will continue to serve my country as a diplomat."

Mr. Zlenko spoke for nearly half an hour to an audience of Columbia University faculty, students and guests. He spoke on a range of topics but focused on Ukraine's recently signed economic agreement with Russia, Kazakstan and Belarus.

Mr. Zlenko said that Ukraine's independence should be viewed as an instrument and not as a goal the country has achieved. "We should focus on using this instrument rationally and effectively to move Ukraine closer to Europe and to keep a safe distance from Russia." He added that "Ukraine is pursuing a policy of reasonable distance from Russia."

During his remarks Mr. Zlenko pushed for closer ties with Europe and expressed his hope that Ukraine would join the European Union. However, he said, "the Russian factor is constantly present in Ukrainian foreign policies, just as the track toward Euro-Atlantic structures is."

Mr. Zlenko justified Ukraine's September 19 signing of the agreement on a common economic space by saying his country "is willing to benefit from restoring economic ties with Belarus, Kazakstan and Russia."

The former foreign affairs minister and ambassador said relations between his country and the United States had improved recently and noted that President Leonid Kuchma, during a visit to the United Nations recently, met with President George Bush.

An official from the United States Department of State, who asked to remain anonymous, later clarified that Presidents Kuchma and Bush only shook hands. The State Department official also said the United States seeks an active relationship with Ukraine. However, "what kind of engagement is important," the State Department official added. "We want engagement that would help benefit Ukraine's move from a former Soviet state to a democratic state - not engagement for engagement's sake."

Past recipients of the Distinguished Statesman Award, according to Dr. von Hagen, include Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma and former Foreign Affairs Minister of Russia Andrei Kozyrev.

During his tenure as foreign minister Mr. Zlenko oversaw the elimination of the country's nuclear weapons stockpile - a move regarded highly by many countries - and the peaceful splitting of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet between Russia and Ukraine. Mr. Zlenko called both accomplishments among the most difficult and rewarding of his career.

The former foreign affairs minister also oversaw the resolution of problems involving Crimea's autonomy and Ukraine's participation last year in Prague in the NATO Summit.

Mr. Zlenko was appointed Ukraine's minister of foreign affairs in July 1990 and continued to serve in the administration of Leonid Kravchuk, the country's first elected president, after Ukraine declared independence in August 1991. Removed from the post in 1994, he was reappointed by President Leonid Kuchma in October 2000.

Mr. Zlenko began his diplomatic service in the diplomatic corps of the Soviet Union in 1967 and spent 14 years in various capacities as part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic's delegation to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris and later as ambassador to France. He was also Ukraine's permanent representative to the United Nations from September 1994 to September 1997.

Mr. Zlenko, who turned 65 recently, stepped down as the country's foreign affairs minister because Ukrainian law mandates that government workers retire by that age.

Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Kostyantyn Gryshchenko was expected to speak at the award ceremony but was not in attendance. Officials at Ukraine's Mission to the United Nations said he was unable to attend because of responsibilities in Ukraine.

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