Ambassador Reznik says farewell to friends in United States (07/17/05)

Ambassador Reznik says farewell to friends in United States

by Yaro Bihun
Special to The Ukrainian Weekly

WASHINGTON - After 11 years of diplomatic postings around the world, Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Mykhailo Reznik, and his wife, Iryna, are returning home to Kyiv.

Before departing Washington, however, they hosted a reception on July 7 at the Embassy for the scores of friends they have made since December 2003, when Ambassador Reznik presented his credentials to President George W. Bush, as well as during his earlier assignment here in the mid-1990s as Ukraine's trade representative.

Addressing the festive gathering, Ambassador Reznik briefly recounted his official dealings with the U.S. government, as well as his relationship with the Ukrainian American community.

He said he accepted the Washington posting well aware of the difficulties he would face.

"I knew it would not be an easy assignment. It was in 2003, when our bilateral relationship was at a standstill," he said. "But then we managed to renew the dialogue."

As for his relations with the Ukrainian diaspora, he noted that during his 19-month tenure here he had visited just about every large Ukrainian American community in the United States. "I must say that it was a pleasure for me and Iryna to serve in a country with such a community," the ambassador said and thanked them for their assistance and understanding.

Despite the stormy weather and flood warnings in the Washington area, the Embassy was packed with guests. Most were from the Washington area, but a good number also came from faraway New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Cleveland and other cities.

Among the guests were former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Steven Pifer, Ukrainian Congress Committee of America President Michael Sawkiw Jr., Ukrainian American Coordinating Committee President Ihor Gawdiak, Vital Voices Global Partnerships Chairperson Melanne Verveer and U.S.-Ukraine Foundation President Nadia K. McConnell.

Some addressed the gathering, expressing their appreciation for Ambassador Reznik's work in Washington and wishing him well in his future endeavors.

U.S. Court of Federal Claims Judge Bohdan Futey, who has worked with Ukraine's officials since the country's independence in helping develop its judicial system, praised the ambassador for getting the U.S.-Ukraine relationship back on track and singled out the compassion and kindness he exhibited in his dealings toward the Ukrainian American community.

Judge Futey noted that over the past 15 years, the Ukrainian diaspora has been living the (Man of La Mancha's) "impossible dream," in which their hopes for the land of their birth, or of their forebears, were finally being fulfilled. Ukraine's ambassadors and their staffs in Washington helped in achieving this goal, he said. And, turning to Ambassador Reznik, he added, "You were among the best."

Speaking on behalf of the Embassy's diplomats, Sergiy Korsunsky, who will serve as chargé d'affaires until a new ambassador arrives here, said that his diplomatic colleagues are saddened to see Ambassador Reznik go, as were the diplomatic staffs at his previous ambassadorial postings in South Korea and China.

He said he expects the Ukrainian government will soon give the ambassador another important assignment. "Ukraine has few public servants with the wealth of his experience," Mr. Korsunsky said.

"We will continue our work here, and he will do his share in Ukraine," Mr. Korsunsky said. "Together we will serve our common cause: to help Ukraine, President Yushchenko and his government, and the Ukrainian people to finally become what we have long striven to be - a prosperous, democratic country."

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