Quotable notes

"We think it is very important for the people of Ukraine that they choose their next president, and that the elections are not manipulated and stolen the way they were in Mukachevo [Mukachiv]. We know that President [Leonid] Kuchma has said that the elections will be free and fair, but we are disturbed with what has been happening in recent months. Administrative methods have been used to make it more difficult for the opposition to conduct their political activities, especially in areas where they could not have a great deal of support, and there have been restrictions on the media, which are troublesome.

"The abuse by the tax authorities to go after oppositionist politicians is another problem. I had a good meeting with the new head of the [State] Tax Administration [Fedir Yaroshenko]. He expressed the need for the tax authorities to act in a proper way. And we look forward to seeing that.

"If elections are free and fair, U.S.-Ukraine relations will prosper and Ukraine's interests in integration into Euro-Atlantic structures will be enhanced. And we will embrace the winner, whoever it is. We know we can work with whoever wins free and fair elections. I am also certain that free and fair elections will encourage investments by American firms. I also think that free and fair elections here will limit so many abuses that we have seen within Ukraine on economic questions, including the area of privatization."

- John Herbst, U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, in an interview with the Kyiv Post on July 1, responding to the question: How will the upcoming elections influence relations between the U.S. and Ukraine, particularly in terms of business?

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, August 29, 2004, No. 35, Vol. LXXII

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