NEWSBRIEFS (11/14/04)

NEWSBRIEFS

Newscaster taken off the air

KYIV - Mykola Kanishevskyi, first vice-president of the National Television Company, has sacked a presenter of the "Visti" evening newscast on the First National Television channel (UT1), the Ukrainska Pravda website (www2.pravda.com.ua) reported on November 9. The presenter, Volodymyr Holosniak, refused last week to read a statement from Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych's election staff addressing a running dispute with rival candidate Viktor Yushchenko over televised presidential debates, saying it would be necessary to present Mr. Yushchenko's point of view on the issue as well. The management of UT-1 reportedly refused to present both positions and Mr. Holosniak was taken off the air. Mr. Holosniak is among more than 300 Ukrainian television journalists who protested censorship on television shortly before the presidential ballot on October 31. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Duma eases travel restrictions

MOSCOW - The State Duma on November 10 ratified a protocol to the agreement between Ukraine and Russia on visa-free travel between the two countries, RosBalt and other Russian media reported. A total of 430 deputies voted for ratification, and none were opposed. Under the protocol, citizens of the two countries will not have to register with the authorities if they plan to stay less than 90 days in the other country. Globalrus.ru and other Russian media noted that President Vladimir Putin had urged the legislature to expedite ratification as a way of supporting Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych in Ukraine's presidential-election campaign. On October 30, the day before Ukraine's presidential election, President Putin asked State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov and Federation Council Chairman Sergei Mironov to launch consultations with their Ukrainian counterparts on the question of introducing dual citizenship. Some analysts noted that if the protocol is finally adopted, a resident of a Russian city such as Pskov or Smolensk must register in order to spend more than three days in Moscow, while a citizen of Ukraine may stay in the Russian capital for three months without notifying the authorities. (RFE/RL Newsline)

U.S. envoy to Russia notes "continuity"

MOSCOW - U.S. Ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow gave a press conference on November 5 in the wake of the re-election of U.S. President George W. Bush, Komsomolskaya Pravda reported on November 6. Mr. Vershbow said that he believes President Bush and President Vladimir Putin will hold a private meeting later this month at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) organization summit in Chile at which they will discuss terrorism, Iraq, Afghanistan and bilateral issues. Ambassador Vershbow said that bilateral relations will be characterized by "continuity" in President Bush's second term. "The United States and the Russian Federation have great potential that has not been utilized yet," the envoy said. He added, however, that there are some areas of potential conflict, including Ukraine, Georgia and Central Asia. "We will manage to avoid major confrontation," Mr. Vershbow said, citing the example of differences over policies in Iraq. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Kuchma congratulates Bush

KYIV - President Leonid Kuchma has congratulated U.S. President George W. Bush on his victory in the November 2 presidential election, Ukrainian news agencies reported on November 4, quoting the presidential press service. In his congratulatory message President Kuchma said he hopes the United States under President Bush's leadership will remain a "world leader that guards peace, stability and democracy." He added: "I believe that the second term of your presidency will become a new stage in developing the constructive Ukrainian-American cooperation, founded on the commonality of democratic values and proximity of interests in the international arena." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Russian official to Kerry: sue

MOSCOW - Central Election Commission Chairman Aleksandr Veshnyakov, who recently returned from observing the U.S. presidential election, said on November 6 that he believes that losing Democratic Party candidate John Kerry has legal grounds to challenge the results of the election, ITAR-TASS reported. According to Mr. Veshnyakov, the fact that some votes, including absentee ballots, were not counted gives Sen. Kerry a legal basis. At the same time, Mr. Veshnyakov noted that Russian politicians should learn from their U.S. counterparts how to "lose with dignity." According to Ekho Moskvy, Mr. Veshnyakov also said that U.S. election specialists are interested in coming to Russia to learn how the electronic Gaz-Vybory system works. (RFE/RL Newsline)

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