NEWSBRIEFS (07/23/06)

NEWSBRIEFS

Parliament distributes committees

KYIV - The Verkhovna Rada adopted a resolution on July 18 that distributes parliamentary committees among caucuses, Interfax reported. According to the resolution, which received 285 votes in favor, the Party of the Regions will head eight committees; the Socialist Party, three; the Communist Party, three; the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc, seven; and Our Ukraine, five. The Economic Policy Committee is to be headed by Our Ukraine lawmaker Volodymyr Zaplatynski, who has joined the Anti-Crisis Coalition made up of the Party of the Regions, the Socialist Party and the Communist Party. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Coalition seeks to assemble court

KYIV - Adam Martyniuk, the first vice-chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, said on July 18 that the Anti-Crisis Coalition intends to select Constitutional Court members as soon as possible in order to challenge a possible dissolution of Parliament, Interfax reported. Mr. Martyniuk said he sees no grounds for such a dissolution, but "we will manage to form the Constitutional Court by the time the president proposes the dissolution of Parliament. The court will decide whether the steps by the president are legal or not." Mr. Martyniuk also announced that Communist Party Chairman Petro Symonenko "reached an agreement with the Russian government that it would receive our delegation and hold negotiations, including on gas." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Bloc rules out civil disobedience

KYIV - Yulia Tymoshenko, the head of the eponymous bloc in the Ukrainian Parliament, told Ukrayinska Pravda on July 18 that her bloc does not intend to stage acts of civil disobedience similar to those that accompanied the Orange Revolution at the end of 2004. "When we had presidential elections [in 2004] people already rallied once and gave a message, but later politicians did not act quite right with regard to these people," Ms. Tymoshenko said, adding that the public is now well-informed about the actions of politicians and the situation. "Dissolution [of the Parliament] is necessary and remains possible," Ms. Tymoshenko said. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Our Ukraine: script 'written abroad'

KYIV - The Our Ukraine bloc in the Verkhovna Rada issued a statement on July 13 claiming that the formation of the Anti-Crisis Coalition followed a scenario scripted from abroad, presumably implying Russia. "Our impression is that the authors of these scenarios are seeking to destabilize Ukraine, that they need a cheap show ahead of the G-8 summit," being held in St. Petersburg, Russia, on July 15-17. Ukraine's Foreign Affairs Minister Borys Tarasyuk said Our Ukraine views foreign involvement as an attempt to interfere in Ukraine's internal affairs. He added that Our Ukraine will take whatever steps are needed to thwart similar scenarios being enacted, but he provided no further details. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Our Ukraine goes into opposition

KYIV - The pro-presidential Our Ukraine bloc announced on July 18 that it accepts the legitimacy of the Anti-Crisis Coalition, international media reported. "We welcome the announcement of an Anti-Crisis Coalition [led by the Party of the Regions] today in strict accordance with the Constitution and [parliamentary] regulations," Our Ukraine lawmaker Anatolii Kinakh was quoted as saying on Ukrainian television. "Proceeding from this fact, as of today the faction of the Our Ukraine political bloc is officially in a minority; that is, in opposition." The news announcement came as the Verkhovna Rada convened for the first time since July 11, when proceedings were disrupted after the Anti-Crisis Coalition comprising the Party of the Regions, the Socialist Party and the Communist Party was announced. Verkhovna Rada Chairman Oleksander Moroz claimed on July 17 that Our Ukraine was holding talks with the Anti-Crisis Coalition on ways of possibly joining it, Interfax and Ukrayinska Pravda reported. Our Ukraine denied that it was holding any such talks. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Tymoshenko seeks Rada's dissolution

KYIV - Yulia Tymoshenko, head of the eponymous parliamentary caucus, announced on July 18 from the parliamentary rostrum that her bloc is prepared to give up seats in order to dissolve the Parliament, the Ukrayinska Pravda website reported. Tymoshenko called on Our Ukraine to do the same. "There are two options to change the situation in the Parliament: either the president dissolves the Parliament or 150 lawmakers vacate their seats, thus making the Parliament illegitimate," Ms. Tymoshenko said. However, Verkhovna Rada speaker Moroz countered that such a move would not result in the dissolution of the Parliament because "another 150 lawmakers will arrive courtesy of a decision by the Central Election Committee" replacing the lawmakers with others on the party list. Supporters of Ms. Tymoshenko and of the youth organization Pora attempted on July 18 to block access to the Parliament building, but the effort failed to disrupt the proceedings. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Yanukovych expects to be PM soon

KYIV - Viktor Yanukovych, the leader of the Party of the Regions, has said he objects to the possible dissolution of Parliament, and hopes that President Viktor Yushchenko will endorse his bid for the prime ministership within 15 days, Interfax reported on July 17. Mr. Yanukovych also said he fully trusts Oleksander Moroz, whose Socialist Party was part of the Orange coalition before abruptly switching sides and joining the Anti-Crisis Coalition after Mr. Moroz was elected Verkhovna Rada chairman. "We have no doubts about him. He shares our point of view that the coalition should be expanded," Mr. Yanukovych said. (RFE/RL Newsline)

President vows to counter anarchy

KYIV - President Viktor Yushchenko said in a July 15 address to the Verkhovna Rada that he will not allow anarchy, chaos or a national split in Ukraine, Interfax reported. "I am aware that there are political forces that would prefer a radical turn in the situation and are interested in confrontation for the sole aim of gaining absolute power," Mr. Yushchenko said, adding he hopes the political forces in the Parliament will reach consensus before July 25, when he will have the authority to dissolve the Parliament. The president described the possibility of dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada and early parliamentary elections as "a costly luxury for Ukraine." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Yekhanurov against Rada's dissolution

KYIV - Prime Minister Yurii Yekhanurov, who is a key official of Our Ukraine, has said that dissolving the Verkhovna Rada will not settle the political crisis in Ukraine, Interfax reported on July 14. "I have always been for a broad coalition involving political forces that support President [Viktor] Yushchenko's program," Mr. Yekhanurov said, adding that some politicians' ambitions have prevented the creation of such a coalition. "Instead of assuming solidarity ... some politicians started the process of confrontation," he said. (RFE/RL Newsline)

New coalition for EU and SES

KYIV - The Anti-Crisis Coalition created by the Party of the Regions, the Socialist Party, and the Communist Party announced on July 14 that its main goals are Ukraine's full membership in the European Union and the completion of the Single Economic Space, Interfax reported, citing the coalition agreement. The agreement reads that joining NATO would only come following a nationwide referendum. The agreement also provides for mandatory consultations with the Ukrainian president on nominations of key posts in the government. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ukraine's Jews pray for Israel

KYIV - A collective prayer service for the rescue of Israel was held on July 17 in Kyiv's Central Synagogue. Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Naomi Ben-Ami thanked the people who came to express their solidarity with the people of Israel in difficult days. The envoy said: "Today, when an unprecedented war is being waged against Israel, we have seen the world's support for the first time in many years. At the G-8 summit in St. Petersburg, Israel was supported by all the heads of the member-states of the summit. We need your moral support and participation here in Ukraine today as never before." Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Moshe-Reuven Asman said prayers for the rescue of the people of Israel. Speaking in the prayer hall of the synagogue, the rabbi also stressed spiritual unity with the people of Israel and "desire to win a victory in a just war." (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)

Vandals deface Babyn Yar memorial

KYIV - Unidentified vandals damaged the Menorah memorial at the former Jewish cemetery in Babyn Yar, Kyiv, during the night on July 18. Some connect the incident with the fighting that has recently begun in Lebanon, though local guards attribute it to drug addicts or skinheads. The vandals nearly destroyed one of the large tiles set on the steps of the pedestal and broke glass. The bronze, seven-candle Menorah monument was placed in Babyn Yar in Kyiv in the 1990s in memory of the 100,000 residents of Kyiv who were killed by the Nazis in 1941-1943. In September 1941 approximately 35,000 Jews were shot dead in a two-day period. (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)

Putin warns outsiders about Ukraine

MOSCOW - President Vladimir Putin told journalists from countries belonging to the Group of Eight (G-8) industrialized countries in Moscow on July 13 that outsiders should not attempt to engage in power politics in Ukraine, Russian television reported. He said that "you can't bet on any particular force [in Ukraine], painting it in a pro-Western color. I'm telling you again, there are neither pro-Western, nor pro-Russian forces [in Ukraine]. All of them are pro-Ukrainian, first and foremost. And this should be understood, just as our interests there should be respected, because almost 17 million ethnic Russians live there, and almost every second family in Ukraine has ties with the Russian Federation." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Yavlinsky has no political hopes for G-8

MOSCOW - Grigory Yavlinsky of the liberal opposition Yabloko party wrote in Nezavisimaya Gazeta of July 14 that "it's impossible to ignore that Russia is moving further and further away from democracy, and that an authoritarian system has been established here." He argued that "Russia has no independent Parliament, free speech or independent judiciary. Elections are manipulated, and business is subordinated to government. The authorities don't respect civil rights or civil liberties. Laws are applied selectively, on a politically motivated basis. This also has a direct impact on foreign policy, which bears little resemblance to strategic partnership with the West." Mr. Yavlinsky added, however, that one should not expect the Western leaders to be tough with President Vladimir Putin on internal Russian political issues at the G-8 summit because they themselves "have too many sins on their own records" to do so. Mr. Yavlinsky said he believes that "the G-8 summit is primarily a stability factor, a face-to-face meeting for the leaders of the states on which global security depends." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Putin: U.S. and Russia not opponents

STRELNA, Russia - President Vladimir Putin told reporters in Strelna on July 17 that "our relations [with the United States] have changed fundamentally" since the end of the Cold War, Russian and international news agencies reported. He added that "not only have we ceased to be enemies, but we don't consider each other opponents, either. And by the way, the course of discussions yesterday and today showed that our positions are very close in many respects." He said that the two countries "should simply know how to work in a frank and professional way and, while defending our own [respective] national interests, we can always find a way to solve issues that doesn't lead to a confrontation, but to a compromise." Mr. Putin noted that "not all people in our two countries are ready to take a look anew into the future. Unfortunately, there are such structures and forces ... that still rely on concepts of confrontation. We see that all too often." Asked by a reporter whether he was offended that U.S. President George W. Bush met with Russian human rights activists, Mr. Putin elicited laughter among his audience by admitting that he himself has "met with representatives of non-governmental organizations, too ... It's good. The more we work with civil society, the better." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Russians take stock of G-8

STRELNA, Russia - President Vladimir Putin told reporters in Strelna at the close of the Group of Eight summit on July 17 that "we are satisfied that our partners received with understanding Russia's ideas and proposals for the summit," Russian and international news agencies reported. He added that "it is also obvious that Russia's growing economic potential allows it to play a more significant role in global development, and we are ready to participate actively in implementing all of the proposed initiatives." Deputy Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that, prior to the summit, Moscow "faced a lot of criticism from different parts of the world, but in the end we managed to show that Russia's place in the G-8 is quite natural, that it's impossible to tackle vital problems without Russia." An unnamed Western diplomat was quoted by The Washington Times on July 18 as saying that the "Russians have clearly had a recovery of confidence." The Moscow daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta noted on July 17, however, that Russian plans for the gathering were overshadowed by the Middle East crisis and by Iran's refusal to agree to the Russian-backed proposal to halt uranium enrichment. (RFE/RL Newsline)

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