Quotable notes (05/02/04)

Quotable notes

"After the darkness over the [rejected] constitutional amendments dispersed and the commotion around them has begun to subside, we saw on the political proscenium a psychologically broken [President] Leonid Kuchma. He has finally decided to accept guarantees of security for his family and capital from certain circles in the United States. Understandably, not just like that, but in exchange for abandoning power of his own will and opening the way for the victory of Viktor Yushchenko.

"To make such a decision, Kuchma was given a final term, which was limited by a specific date. And he abided by this term. He accepted the ultimatum following advice from his son-in-law Viktor Pinchuk. The reasons for such compliance of the Ukrainian president are quite obvious: tons of compromising materials that were pragmatically shown to him (in contrast to the 'romantic' compromising materials from Mykola Melnychenko, these materials provide for direct repressive actions of the U.S. administration), a threat to block [Kuchma's] foreign bank accounts, and a possible arrest in foreign countries. Accordingly, a sort of anarchy has now established itself in Ukraine.

"However, one has to give Kuchma his due - he has fought in a downright and self-sacrificing manner for remaining in power further. But his forces and resources - particularly in comparison with capabilities of the world's mightiest superpower - has proven to be insufficient. He has broken down and actually agreed to a Yeltsin-type scenario of political succession. The day of April 14 - when [Ukrainian Prime Minister] Viktor Yanukovych was proposed as a presidential candidate - may be deemed the official conclusion of the Kuchma era, which lasted in Ukraine for nearly 10 years."

- Yulia Tymoshenko, leader of the eponymous opposition bloc, in an article published by the Ukrainska Pravda website on April 16, as cited by RFE/RL Belarus and Ukraine Report.

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