NEWSBRIEFS

Yekhanurov visiting Washington

WASHINGTON - Ukrainian Prime Minister Yurii Yekhanurov said on November 1 during a two-day visit to Washington that he expects Ukraine to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) by the end of 2005, Interfax reported. Mr. Yekhanurov described talks with U.S. officials regarding the signing of an agreement on opening commodity and service markets - necessary for Ukraine's accession to the WTO - as "considerably advanced." According to Mr. Yekhanurov, signing the WTO protocol with the United States will be a good sign to other countries, particularly Australia. The same day in Kyiv, the Verkhovna Rada passed two bills required for WTO entry pertaining to imports and protection of domestic producers. (RFE/RL Newsline)

PM notes cooperation with business

WASHINGTON - Prime Minister Yurii Yekhanurov said in Washington on November 1 that the government and Ukrainian business leaders have agreed on the promotion of Ukrainian-made goods on world markets, Interfax reported. According to Mr. Yekhanurov, a Ukrainian "council of oligarchs" agreed during a recent meeting with President Viktor Yushchenko to hire foreign consulting firms in order to work out a business-development program for Ukraine to improve its international competitiveness. "We would really like them to become a national bourgeoisie and think about the development of our country," the prime minister said of the oligarchs. (RFE/RL Newsline)

President nominates procurator...

KYIV - Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has nominated Vasyl Prysiazhniuk as prosecutor-general, Interfax reported on October 31. The nomination is subject to approval by the Verkhovna Rada. Mr. Prysiazhniuk currently serves as a deputy procurator general and a Kyiv prosecutor. The post of the procurator general has been vacant since Mr. Yushchenko dismissed Sviatoslav Piskun on October 14. Later that day, Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn told a press conference that the president's petition to the Verkhovna Rada for the appointment of Mr. Prysiazhniuk as the country's top prosecutor was not officially recalled, but a "relevant phone call" was made. Mr. Lytvyn declined to comment on another candidate, referring to the fact that no official documents had come to the Verkhovna Rada thus far. (RFE/RL Newsline, Ukrinform)

... then chooses another nominee

KYIV - President Viktor Yushchenko on 31 October nominated Oleksander Medvedko to serve as the next procurator general, Interfax reported the same day, citing presidential spokeswoman Iryna Heraschenko. Mr. Yushchenko withdrew his previous nominee, Vasyl Prysiazhniuk, with no explanation. Mr. Medvedko currently serves as a deputy procurator general. Socialist Party Chairman Oleksander Moroz commented that the president's announcement was unexpected to the majority of parliamentarians and government officials. Verkhovna Rada Chairman Volodymyr Lytvyn said on October 31 that he does not exclude the possibility that Ukraine might face a situation in which two people jointly fill the position. Sviatoslav Piskun, who was dismissed from the post on October 14, is contesting his dismissal in court. (RFE/RL Newsline, Ukrinform)

WTO accession sought in 2005

KYIV - President Viktor Yushchenko on October 28 called on the Ukrainian government to intensify its efforts to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) by the end of this year, Interfax reported. "[We are] bringing domestic legislation in line with WTO requirements," Mr. Yushchenko said, adding that "means of protecting the interests of domestic manufacturers are under development." According to the Ministry of the Economy, Ukraine is currently in compliance with approximately 80 percent of the WTO's accession requirements. (RFE/RL Newsline)

WTO efforts not being synchronized

KYIV - Presidential Secretariat Chief Oleh Rybachuk said on October 28 that Ukraine is not conducting talks with Russia regarding joint efforts to join the World Trade Organization, UNIAN reported. "It is technically impossible to synchronize the two independent countries' entries, and Ukraine is not conducting any talks [on synchronization]," Mr. Rybachuk said, adding that a decision on Ukraine's accession to the WTO will be made by the organization itself. Mr. Rybachuk also announced that a Ukrainian delegation intends to visit Washington regarding the WTO efforts, but did not indicate when this would happen. (RFE/RL Newsline)

EU: Ukraine is exemplary neighbor

KYIV - EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner described Ukraine on October 31 as a positive example of the European Neighborhood Policy, Interfax reported the same day. Ms. Ferrero-Waldner also said the EU will uphold its commitments and grant Ukraine market-economy status on December 1 to improve economic reforms in the country. Ms. Ferrero-Waldner also said she believes the 2006 parliamentary elections in Ukraine will be of key importance for further reforms. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Political Council holds meeting

KYIV - President Viktor Yushchenko, during an October 31 meeting of the Political Council, praised the start of cooperation between the Cabinet of Ministers and the Verkhovna Rada, Interfax reported, citing presidential spokeswoman Iryna Heraschenko. Ms. Heraschenko described the discussions at the meeting as "extremely constructive," adding that the president envisions the 2006 budget as one of development. President Yushchenko created the Political Council as a means of facilitating dialogue between the president and political groupings in the Verkhovna Rada. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ukraine presses Protsyuk investigation

KYIV - The Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry is insisting on additional investigation into the circumstances of Ukrainian journalist Taras Protsyuk's death in Iraq in 2003, Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Borys Tarasyuk told a news briefing on November 1. He said Ukrainian officials had informed the U.S. of its interest in obtaining full information about results of the investigation and materials of the case. It also stated its readiness to join additional investigations of Mr. Protsyuk's death. The minister told the press that the family of the late journalist has received insurance compensation. As Ukrinform earlier reported, a Madrid judge signed an arrest order for an international search of three American military officers, tank crew members, who shot at the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad in April 2003, when the Ukrainian journalist and a Spanish colleague were killed. (Ukrinform)

Orange Revolution anniversary nears

KYIV - Kyiv City Hall and political analysts are apprehensive over a likely "violent scenario" of Orange Revolution anniversary celebrations. Thus far, as many as 17 political parties have applied to hold actions in downtown Kyiv on November 20, including those that had nothing to do with Ukraine's democratic changes. In particular, applications have been filed by Natalia Vitrenko's Progressive Socialists and the Communist Party led by Petro Symonenko. Notably, the notorious Bratstvo (Brotherhood) party of ultra-radicals led by Dmytro Korchynskyi has stated its intention to come to the Khreschatyk on November 20. According to Ihor Vozniuk, leader of the Eurasian Youth Union, his organization is gearing up to spring a surprise on Kyiv City Hall on November 7, once the USSR's biggest red-letter day, marking the November 1917 Bolshevik revolution. Mr. Vozniuk said his party members will be ready to oppose activists of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists - Ukrainian Insurgent Army (OUN-UPA) with fists, if need be. According to him, the OUN-UPA is contemplating a counter-march along the Khreschatyk, by way of taking revenge for its October 15 setback. (Ukrinform)

Lviv students demand investigation

LVIV - Activists of the Student Brotherhood of the Lviv Polytechnic National University picketed the Lviv Regional Administration building on October 28 to demand that the authorities step up the investigation of cases connected with the provocation against them during the 2004 presidential elections. Exactly one year ago, law enforcement officials claimed that they found explosive devices in the office of the brotherhood as a result of which the brotherhood's operations were suspended and its leaders arrested. The students noted that the people responsible have not yet been named or brought to justice, despite the fact that a criminal case was launched when the new Ukrainian authorities were elected. Moreover, the offices of the Postup newspaper that openly supported the brotherhood were firebombed. The newspaper has not yet been compensated. The picketers, who also included representatives of student organizations from Uzhhorod, Young Rukh and the Pora organization, called on the region's prosecutor to state the reason for the delay in the investigation. They also sent letters containing this message to President Viktor Yushchenko, the first deputy procurator-general and Internal Affairs Minister Yurii Lutsenko. (Ukrinform)

Rise in HIV/AIDS infections "disastrous"

KHARKIV - Speaking in Kharkiv on October 25, President Viktor Yushchenko warned that the spread of AIDS in Ukraine has become "disastrous" and could get worse unless urgent health-care reforms are implemented, ITAR-TASS reported the same day. "The rates of [the spread of] HIV/AIDS ... have become disastrous, and the country needs an urgent health reform," Mr. Yushchenko said. He added that the number of those infected had more than doubled in the past five years, and there are now 25 AIDS patients for every 100,000 Ukrainian citizens. (RFE/RL Newsline)

PM in Turkmenistan for gas talks

ASHGABAT - As Ukrainian Prime Minister Yurii Yekhanurov met with Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov in the capital city of Ashgabat on October 26, Mr. Niyazov asked Ukraine to pay off its debt for 2005 gas purchases by the end of the year and Mr. Yekhanurov said Ukraine would not oppose Russian participation in talks with Turkmenistan on a long-term gas contract, Prime-TASS, Rosbalt and Reuters reported. Mr. Yekhanurov said that Ukraine can pay off its debt in kind by the end of the year if a precise list of goods and services that Ukraine will provide is drawn up, Prime-TASS reported. Mr. Niyazov has said that Ukraine has paid only $8.7 million of $484 million owed, Rosbalt reported. Mr. Niyazov, who would like to see Ukraine pay entirely in cash for gas, told the Ukrainian prime minister that in-kind payments are a source of corruption that is "beneficial to your leaders." For his part, Mr. Yekhanurov said that Ukraine is ready to move to cash payments. Ukraine is trying to reduce its energy dependence on Russia and officials have expressed concerns about Moscow's meddling in gas deals. Some 45 percent of Ukraine's gas is supplied by Turkmenistan via Russian pipelines. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Limited agreement on gas is reached

ASHGABAT - Ukrainian Energy Minister Ivan Plachkov and Turkmen Oil Minister Guichnazar Tachnazarov signed a memorandum in Ashgabat on October 27 on the volume of goods supplied by Ukraine to pay for shipments of Turkmen gas in 2004-2005, Interfax-Ukraine reported. But as Kommersant-Ukraine reported on October 28, the visit of Ukrainian Prime Minister Yurii Yekhanurov to Turkmenistan on October 26-27 failed to produce a comprehensive accord on 2006 shipments. The price of 2006 shipments of Turkmen gas is still to be negotiated. Moreover, Ukraine has agreed to Russian participation in the 2006 price negotiations, the newspaper noted. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Husar speaks on common Eucharist

VATICAN CITY - The work of the 11th General Assembly of the Synod of Catholic Bishops, in which the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (UGCC) is represented by Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, took place at the Vatican. On October 10 the head of the UGCC drew the attention of the synod fathers to Canon 702 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, which forbids common celebration of the Eucharist with representatives of non-Catholic Churches. He said he would like both Catholics and Orthodox to discuss this issue further. In an interview for the press service of the UGCC, Cardinal Husar said that, in general, the participants of the synod rather peacefully reacted to this question. "Nevertheless," he said, "the proposal to dedicate the next synod to the issue of the Eastern Catholic Churches was even more important than that issue. This part of my speech received a rather strong response among the participants of the meeting even outside the synod hall." Cardinal Husar said he believes that it is necessary to conduct serious discussions on both the Catholic and the Orthodox sides concerning the issue of common celebration of the Eucharist. "It would be a good idea if these discussions took place inside the Kyivan Church, among its four divided branches. Further elaboration of this issue could be suggested to other Churches, because it is not a purely Ukrainian problem, but an international one, as it concerns the nature of the Church and the nature of the sacrament of the holy Eucharist," he commented. (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)

New drivers' licenses to be issued

KYIV - Drivers' licenses meeting new European standards will be issued to drivers, Internal Affairs Minister Yurii Lutsenko said during his speech to the Parliament on government day on the topic of "Accidents on Ukrainian Roads and Measures Taken to Reduce Them," it was reported on October 11. According to Mr. Lutsenko, drivers will be allowed to use both old and new standard licenses. He also said that within the near future, driving tests will be recorded on video. "The launch of such a system is being prepared. It is delayed, however, as funds are primarily raised for the acquisition of speed radars," Mr. Lutsenko said. The new drivers' licenses will cost 70 hrv. (Ukrinform)

Socialist Ukraine party is formed

KYIV - The leader of the newly established party Socialist Ukraine, National Deputy Volodymyr Hoshovskyi, accused his former comrades in arms from Oleksander Moroz's Socialist Party of Ukraine of corruption. He told a press conference on October 12: "The SPU is an oligarch party, created for one leader." He called the SPU Political Council its most corrupt body, charging that its members allegedly demanded positions of authority for Kharkiv businessmen. Mr. Hoshovskyi said that he filed materials documenting the Socialists' abuses with the Procurator General's Office. The new party Socialist Ukraine has united "honest, ideological socialists," who decided to distance themselves from the corrupt oligarch leadership of the SPU and construct real socialism in Ukraine, Mr. Hoshovskyi said. Socialist Ukraine has been established on the basis of the former People's Choice party. According to Mr. Hoshovskyi, the party is being now registered and is going to field candidates for the Parliament in 2006. (Ukrinform)

People's Party aims to create bloc

KYIV - The chairman of the Ukrainian People's Party, Yurii Kostenko, told an October 12 press conference in Kyiv that the party is negotiating a bloc for the 2006 parliamentary elections with the People's Rukh of Ukraine, the Sobor party and the Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists. According to Mr. Kostenko, his party counts on the support of NGOs and centrist-right-wing political forces. The Ukrainian People's Party and the Association of Ukrainian Farmers have concluded a deal on cooperation in running for the Parliament. The news was disclosed by Mr. Kostenko and Ivan Tomych, chairman of the association, at their joint press conference in Kyiv on October 12. (Ukrinform)

Ruslan to bring supplies to Pakistan

KYIV - On Tuesday, October 25, an AN-124 Ruslan plane took off from the Hostomel airfield near Kyiv to deliver yet another cargo of relief aid to earthquake-stricken Pakistan. According to First Vice Minister of Emergency Management Tetiana Amosova, the jumbo plane was to deliver 80 tons of cargo to Pakistan, including 25 tons of medicines, 34 tons of tents, two tons of canned foods, 10 tons of potable water, as well as some equipment for the Ukrainian mobile hospital, deployed in Basham. The hospital's 77 physicians have rendered medical aid to 700 patients. About 150 patients are being treated there; and 20 to 30 surgeries are performed on a daily basis at the hospital. (Ukrinform)

Mobile hospital deployed in Pakistan

KYIV - A Ukrainian mobile hospital has been deployed in Pakistan. Within a week, the hospital rendered aid to over 500 people and made 49 complicated operations, it was reported on October 25. The maternity department within the hospital operates around-the-clock. Medical aid is available even during earthquakes, the Emergency Ministry's press-service told Ukrinform. Residents of suburbs are referred to the hospital for medical aid, which is of high quality. The most frequent patients are children with festering wounds. Ukrainian specialists managed to save the lives of two patients whose condition was considered hopeless. The Emergency Ministry said Ukrainian doctors are respected and popular. (Ukrinform)

Mobile hospital earns praise

KYIV - The Ukrainian Emergency Ministry's mobile hospital has been recognized as the best among mobile medical teams aiding earthquake-hit Pakistan. Such a conclusion was made by experts of the International Red Cross Society, who visited all hospitals that had been deployed in stricken districts, the Emergency Ministry's press service told Ukrinform on October 27. According to the Red Cross, the Ukrainian team has professionally aided a record number of injured and sick persons - some 800 in all. (Ukrinform)

Defense minister to visit Iraq

KYIV - Ukrainian Defense Minister Anatolii Hrytsenko intends to visit Iraq in several weeks, with a view toward familiarizing himself with the Ukrainian military contingent's readiness for withdrawal, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's press service told Ukrinform on October 27. Minister Hrytsenko is supposed to meet with commanders of the multinational forces and Iraqi officials. (Ukrinform)

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, November 6, 2005, No. 45, Vol. LXXIII

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