EDITORIAL: Ukraine graduates (03/12/06)

EDITORIAL

Ukraine graduates

Speaking of establishing "a new era in Ukraine-U.S. relations," newly inaugurated President Viktor Yushchenko said in his address to a joint meeting of Congress on April 6, 2005: "The time has come to make real steps towards each other." Step 1, he said, was "to bury Cold War relics ... I am calling upon you to waive the Jackson-Vanik Amendment. Please make this step towards Ukraine. Please tear down this wall."

When Mr. Yushchenko assumed office in January of 2005, after the historic and unprecedented events of the Orange Revolution, most observers thought it was a sure thing that the U.S. would lift Jackson-Vanik's trade restrictions. Well, it took more than a year, but it is about to happen. On March 8 the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved HR 1053, a bill to graduate Ukraine from the amendment's provisions and grant it permanent normal trade relations (PNTR).

The Senate had approved a similar bill back in November 2005, and the Bush administration has spoken on more than one occasion of its support for the move. Thus, by the time this issue reaches our readers, the bill may have become law. (Observers were predicting speedy Senate action to approve the House measure and President's George W. Bush's signing of the bill into law as early as this Friday, March 10, while Ukraine's Foreign Affairs Minister Borys Tarasyuk is in Washington.)

HR 1053's principal sponsor, Rep. Jim Gerlach, Republican of Pennsylvania, spoke on the House floor before the vote: "During the Orange Revolution of 2004, the whole world watched as the people of Ukraine protested allegations of massive corruption, voter intimidation and direct electoral fraud. And they sent a clear message that, regardless of these obstacles, they wanted and supported with their votes a pro-democracy, pro-reform candidate for president, Viktor Yushchenko. This election highlighted the commitment of the Ukrainian people to a free and prosperous democracy and the country, overnight, became a role model for an entire region. Since the election, the government has remained committee to broad-based reform and economic liberalization."

Passage of his bill, Rep. Gerlach continued, "strongly reaffirms our long-term partnership and support as Ukraine continues down the path of reform and democracy."

Indeed, passage of HR 1053 by the House comes at a crucial time for Ukraine as the country's parliamentary elections are, as of the date of this issue, only two weeks away. Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.), a staunch supporter of Ukraine who co-chairs the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, underscored: "This sends a signal that Ukraine now has the full and equal respect of the government and of the people of the United States."

Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D- N.J.), one of the 61-co-sponsors of the bill, commented: "I never forgot the sensible appeal that President Yushchenko made last year during his speech before a joint session of Congress to open our trade market to Ukraine. Passage of this legislation represents a rapidly developing relationship between the United States and Ukraine."

Clearly, credit for Ukraine's graduation goes to the administration of President Yushchenko. But, major credit must also go to the lobbying efforts of Ukrainian Americans and their allies - most notably the 250-member Jackson-Vanik Graduation Coalition chaired by two former ambassadors to Ukraine, Steven Pifer and William Green Miller, that brought together a diverse group of businesses, Ukrainian American and Jewish American groups, as well as NGOs. And, we must not forget the very valuable work of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus on this issue.

With its granting of market-economy status to Ukraine, the signing of a bilateral agreement on market access (a major step toward Ukraine's accession to the World Trade Organization) and the imminent establishment of permanent normal trade relations with Ukraine, the United States has made clear and unambiguous its support for Ukraine as it continues its development as a democratic state.

| Home Page |