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Action Ukraine Report

"UKRAINE REPORT-2004"
In-Depth Ukrainian News and Analysis
"The Art of Ukrainian History, Culture, Arts, Business, Religion,
Sports, Government, and Politics, in Ukraine and Around the World"

"Governmental efforts to control cyberspace come as Ukraine begins
preparations for presidential elections, to be held next fall, and are seen
by many as an attempt by President Kuchma to muzzle a powerful source
of opposition.

Others believe the country's powerful secret service is pulling the strings.
'In my view, it is more of a sign of the general development in Ukraine,'
says Juri Durkot, a Ukrainian journalist. 'We are not necessarily moving
toward a dictatorship, but the trend is toward a police state.'"
[article seven]

"UKRAINE REPORT-2004," Number 14
U.S.-UKRAINE FOUNDATION (USUF)
www.ArtUkraine.com Information Service (ARTUIS)
morganw@patriot.net, ArtUkraine.com@starpower.net
Kyiv, Ukraine and Washington, D.C., Monday, January 26, 2004

INDEX OF ARTICLES

1. RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PRAISES "STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP"
WITH UKRAINE, URGES CLOSER TIES
"Russia needs a strong Ukraine, while Ukraine,
I am confident, needs a strong Russia."
UT1, Kiev, in Russian, 23 Jan 04; BBC Monitoring Service

2. RUSSIAN LEADER PRESENTS UKRAINE WITH ICON, SAYS
KIEV-PERCHERSKA LAVRA A SYMBOL OF THE
SPIRITUAL UNITY OF RUSSIA AND UKRAINE.
Putin says the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is now totally independent.
RTR Russia TV, Moscow, in Russian, 24 Jan 04; BBC Monitoring Service

3. KUCHMA IN FAVOR OF A UNITED ORTHODOX CHURCH,
CRITICIZES BEHAVIOR OF SOME CHURCH LEADERS
Putin says Ukrainian church independent of Russia and
Russia has no right to offer help to Kiev in solving problem.
Inter TV, Kiev, in Russian, 24 Jan 04; BBC Monitoring Service

4. RUSSIA'S PUTIN GIVES EMBATTLED KUCHMA SOME SUPPORT
By Pavel Polityuk, Reuters, Kiev, Ukraine, January 23, 2004

5. MOSCOW TV CHANNEL TAKES A GRIM VIEW OF
RUSS0-UKRAINE RELATIONS
Ren TV, Moscow, in Russian, 23 Jan 04; BBC Monitoring

6. TOP US DIPLOMAT STATES: CONCERNS ABOUT UKRAINE'S
DEMOCRACY COULD DERAIL ITS NATO ASPIRATIONS
Associated Press Online; Kiev, Ukraine, Jan 23, 2004

7. UKRAINE'S EFFORTS TO POLICE INTERNET WORRY JOURNALISTS
By Charles Hawley, Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor
The Christian Science Monitor, Boston, MA, January 23, 2004

8. FEATURES OF AN AUTHORITARIAN SOCIETY CAN BE
SEEN IN MAJOR UKRAINIAN TV NEWS COVERAGE
Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, in Russian, 22 Jan 04; BBC MS

9. POLISH-BRITISH CONFERENCE DISCUSSES UKRAINE'S
FUTURE NATO MEMBERSHIP
"Ukraine must prove its dedication to democratic values"
Gazeta Wyborcza, Warsaw, in Polish 21 Jan 04; BBC Monitoring Service

10. NOTED UKRAINIAN COMPOSER VALENTIN SILVESTROV'S
MUSIC FEATURED AT WINNIPEG NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL
Program will be broadcast on the CBC Radio Two network on January 27,
on "In Performance" and around the world over the internet on www.cbc.ca.
Denis Hlynka, Acting Director, Centre for Ukrainian Canadian Studies
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Sun, Jan 25, 2004

11. COMPETITION OPENED FOR THE BEST DESIGN OF A
COMPLEX TO BE BUILT AS A MEMORIAL TO THE VICTIMS
OF FAMINE AND POLITICAL REPRESSIONS IN UKRAINE
UKRINFORM, Kyiv, Ukraine, January 23, 2004

12. HIGH-LEVEL CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN UKRAINE AND LYBIA
LED TO CONG. CURT WELDON MENTIONED TO GADHAFI AS A
POSSIBLE ENTRY POINT TO REPUBLICANS IN WASHINGTON
Gadhafi Meeting Set: Weldon Will Lead Historic Mission to Libyan Capital
By Hans Nichols, The Hill, Washington, D.C., January 21, 2004
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 14: ARTICLE NUMBER ONE
=========================================================
1. RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PUTIN PRAISES "STRATEGIC
PARTNERSHIP" WITH UKRAINE, URGES CLOSER TIES
Russia needs a strong Ukraine, while Ukraine,
I am confident, needs a strong Russia.

UT1, Kiev, in Russian, 23 Jan 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jan 23, 2004

President Putin has praised his country's "strategic partnership" with
Ukraine at a ceremony in Kiev to officially close the cultural Year of
Russia in Ukraine, which was attended by Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma.
In his speech, Putin praised development of a four-sided common market
treaty between CIS states and urged closer ties between Ukrainian and
Russian regions.

The following is the text of Putin's speech, broadcast live by the Ukrainian
state-owned television channel UT1 on 23 January:

[Putin] Esteemed Mr Kuchma, dear colleagues, esteemed friends. I am really
delighted to greet all those present at this celebration today [ovation]. It
really is a celebration because this event sums up our joint work [on
culture] which lasted two years. Mr Kuchma mentioned and said this when
closing the Year of Russia in Ukraine but we in Russia still remember the
Year of Ukraine in Russia.

In essence, we are concluding two years of joint work today [ovation]. Let
me thank from the bottom of my heart all my Ukrainian friends who took part
in preparing and implementing programmes under the Year of Russia in
Ukraine. I would especially like to draw attention to the sincere support
rendered by Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma [ovation].

The Year of Russia in Ukraine became a logical continuation of the Year of
Ukraine in our state and this ceremony is just another stage, and I agree
absolutely with Mr Kuchma that this just a stage in the strengthening of
Russian-Ukrainian relations. What we have already reached gives us solid
ground to keep moving forward. In Russia, and I want to stress this, we feel
sincere pride for Ukraine's successes [ovation], we are proud of the
strengthening of the economic potential and international positions of your
state. Russia needs a strong Ukraine, while Ukraine, I am confident, needs a
strong Russia [ovation].

Such states could be, must be and will certainly be faithful allies and
reliable strategic partners for one another. By the way, following on from
this, and I have absolutely no doubt about this, we are in a position to
deal with any difficulties which we have inherited from the past and settle
any problems which seem to be irresolvable or very complex, including the
ones which the president of Ukraine mentioned in his speech [ovation].

I think that you will agree that our fruitful cooperation would be
impossible without the determination and desire of our states to cooperate,
the mutual magnitude of our people, their sincere interest in removing
obstacles on the way to communication and to business partnership. It was a
mood which enabled us to attain the main objective - to involve the broadest
sections of citizens in the two countries in the orbit of bilateral ties,
and by doing so to make our economic, humanitarian, social and political
projects truly nationwide.

Over the two years of work, we have virtually covered the entire spectre of
cooperation and significantly strengthened our strategic partnership. A
permanent dialogue at the top political level is under way,
interparliamentary ties are also developing actively. New joint projects are
being proposed in the economy, science, education and culture. The creation
of the Single Economic Space between the four states [Ukraine, Russia,
Belarus and Kazakhstan], which has already been mentioned, opens up broad
prospects for cooperation.

Of course, this was one of the most important events of the past year, both
in relations between our states and for the processes of general European
integration. I am very delighted to say this, and we discussed this during a
meeting with the president [Kuchma] today, and then with journalists, that
work in this field is being carried out on an absolutely equal basis, with
due respect for the interests of all parties to the agreement. This work
does not contain a single sign of politicization. This is the most important
thing, and this is a prerequisite of our success in this direction.

We have made considerable progress in our trade and economic cooperation,
and Mr Kuchma has already spoken about its results. But this is far from the
limit. We have already prepared huge projects and reached agreements which
open up new business horizons for us. We are also expecting to broaden the
geography of investment forums, such as in Odessa, Kharkiv [Ukraine], or
Belgorod [Russia].

I am confident that all initiatives which have been proposed should be
developed, while the positive experience we have gained should be utilized
by the regions and Ukraine. So we will not just preserve but also develop
the achievements attained in this recent two-year long period of
cooperation.

The agreements which we signed in the humanitarian field will serve the same
purpose, including the agreement on the setting up and operation of
university branches in both states and on youth exchange, as well as the
documents on health care which we have signed.

I must note that the hearts of all the citizens of Russia, and, of course,
the close, very close, and truly interesting culture, history and language
of Ukraine, and, I just want to return you to what was said by the president
about the sayings of Chekov. Chekov merely expressed that which is thought
by virtually everybody in Russia today. I tell you sincerely, Ukrainian
literature, music and song are loved in Russia. We have great respect for
the hard-working and wise Ukrainian people and we know that these feelings
are mutual [ovation].

The 350th anniversary of the Pereyaslav Council is being celebrated this
weekend. This event had a great influence on relations between our
countries. And on the development of our states. I believe that it also had
a significant effect on Russia's development. We talk all the time about
what significance it had for Ukraine, but I think it also had great
significance for Russia.

I have in mind building, state building, and cultural exchange between two
brotherly Slavic peoples. I am absolutely sure and I do not doubt for a
second that it had a great and positive influence on Ukraine's development.
I think it is hardly likely that anyone will agree with me [as heard]. If
another choice had been made it is hardly likely that we would have such a
strong European country like Ukraine today. I doubt it very much.

But today, in this second epoch, we should remember the lessons of our
common history. The main one is that the strategic partnership between
Russia and Ukraine always made us stronger and helped us to overcome trials
and attain mutual successes for both nations.

Without doubt there are still many things we have to do together. This is
not a simple task, but one that is very necessary and noble. Work which will
answer the sincere expectations of the peoples and citizens of both
countries. And allow me to wish our Ukrainian brothers peace and prosperity
and wish Ukrainian-Russian relations new achievements. Thank you very much
[ovation]. (END) (ARTUIS)
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 14: ARTICLE NUMBER TWO
=========================================================
2. RUSSIAN LEADER PRESENTS UKRAINE WITH ICON, SAYS
KIEV-PERCHERSKA LAVRA A SYMBOL OF THE
SPIRITUAL UNITY OF RUSSIA AND UKRAINE.
Putin says the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is now totally independent

RTR Russia TV, Moscow, in Russian, 24 Jan 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jan 24, 2004

[Presenter] The second day of the Russian president's Ukrainian visit
started today with a trip to Kiev-Pecherska Lavra [Monastery of the Caves].
[Russian President] Vladimir Putin and [Ukrainian President] Leonid Kuchma
visited one of the most ancient Orthodox holy places. It was founded in the
11th century, among caves on the banks of the Dnieper. [Passage omitted]

The Ukrainian [Orthodox] hierarch presented Putin with an icon depicting
(?Antoniy, Feodosiy) and all Pechera saints who were the monastery's first
priests. Putin responded with a gift of his own - an icon depicting
(?Serafim Sarovskiy) which is almost one hundred years old.

[Putin, presenting the icon] I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude
for the icon and the remarkably kind words. I would like to say that we in
Russia know what Kiev-Pecherska Lavra is. We have not forgotten and will
never forget the fact that it was in the Dnieper that Prince Vladimir
started baptizing Russia. It was not by accident that for a long time it had
been referred to as Kievskaya Rus [Kiev's Rus], Holy Rus.

Today, Kiev-Pecherska Lavra is a symbol of the spiritual unity of Russia and
Ukraine. Thank you very much for your service. I would like to give you the
icon of Serafim Sarovskiy. We are going to celebrate the 250th anniversary
since his birth [several words indistinct]

[Presenter] Vladimir Putin, Leonid Kuchma and Ukrainian church hierarchs
later had a cup of tea together. [Passage omitted] President Putin said he
was aware of the [Ukrainian church] split but was not going to meddle with
church affairs. Nonetheless, he expressed his support for the Ukrainian
Patriarchy. And I quote, the president said that we were with you in spirit.

[Putin] Numerous problems and difficulties have emerged as a result of the
radical historical changes that our peoples had to face at the start of the
1990s. But I would like to say that in these circumstances the role and
significance of Orthodox faith in the spiritual life of our people have
increased dramatically.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is now totally independent, including from the
Russian Orthodox Church. The only link that remains between the churches is
the canonical and spiritual link. In my view, this is a very important
factor in the unity of our peoples. [Passage omitted] (END)(ARTUIS)
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 14: ARTICLE NUMBER THREE
=========================================================
3. KUCHMA IN FAVOR OF A UNITED ORTHODOX CHURCH,
CRITICIZES BEHAVIOR OF SOME CHURCH LEADERS
Putin says Ukrainian church independent of Russia and
Russia has no right to offer help in solving problem.

Inter TV, Kiev, in Russian, 24 Jan 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jan 24, 2004

[Presenter] Russian President Vladimir Putin has ended his two-day visit to
Ukraine. Today Putin visited the Uspenskyy Cathedral of the Kiev-Pechersk
Lavra [monastery] where he met the leaders of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
Moscow Patriarchate.

Later today the Russian president left for Moscow. However, before flying
out, Putin had an unscheduled meeting with Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma
where they discussed the prospects of bilateral relations, the Russian
president's press service said.

[Correspondent] In the morning, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra is the most
beautiful place in Kiev. [Passage omitted: historical background on the
Kiev-Pechersk Lavra]

The head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate, Volodymyr,
prayed for the health of the presidents and the people of both countries. In
the memory of the visit to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Volodymyr
presented Putin with an icon of St Antoniy, St Feodosiy and all the Pechersk
saints. In return, Putin presented Volodymyr with an icon of Serafim
Sorovskiy painted 100 years ago.

[Putin, speaking far from the microphone] We have not forgotten and we shall
never forget that St Vladimir began baptizing [Kievan] Rus here on the Dnepr
river. Thank you very much for your prayers and let me present you with an
icon of Serafim Sorovskiy, whose 250th birthday we are going to celebrate,
[end of sentence indistinct].

[Correspondent] The Ukrainian president also gave a present. Kuchma
presented the cathedral with an icon of the Mother of God. After the
prayers, the two president met church leaders. At a tea drinking ceremony in
Volodymyr's residence, they spoke about the importance of the Orthodox
church in the life of both Ukrainian and Russian people.

Putin knows that the Orthodox church is split in Ukraine at the moment, but
he thinks that Moscow has no right to offer help to Kiev in solving this
problem.

[Putin] The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is absolutely independent in all
aspects, including from the Russian Orthodox Church. The only connection
which remains between the churches is a canonical and spiritual link. I
think it is a very important part of unity between our nations.

As I said, we remember and realize that the Rus was first baptized here
on the Dnepr river. Prince Vladimir began baptizing Rus here. This is the
source of our spiritual unity.

[Correspondent] In his turn, Kuchma stressed the following:

[Kuchma] I always was and I continue to be in favour of a united church, it
was a great good for us all.

[Correspondent] But it is impossible not to notice the problems existing
today, Kuchma said. In addition, the behaviour of some religious leaders is
far from ideal.

[Kuchma] He does something bad in one church and goes to another. Just
like in our parliament.

[Correspondent] After some tea with the patriarch, the presidents left the
Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, and at 1500 [1300 gmt] Putin departed for Moscow.
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 14: ARTICLE NUMBER FOUR
=========================================================
4. RUSSIA'S PUTIN GIVES EMBATTLED KUCHMA SOME SUPPORT

By Pavel Polityuk, Reuters, Kiev, Ukraine, January 23, 2004

KIEV, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a series
of minor economic deals with his Ukrainian counterpart Leonid Kuchma on
Friday in a tempered show of support for a leader under fire at home and
abroad.

Putin, on a two-day visit, steered clear of more contentious issues with
neighbouring Ukraine -- including debate over an oil pipeline and a
stand-off between Kuchma's allies and the opposition.

The leaders' signing ceremonies and speeches in Kiev's central concert hall
were more pomp than substance, focusing on principles of good
neighbourliness and a common history.

"Russia needs a strong Ukraine and I am sure that Ukraine needs a strong
Russia as well," Putin said at the concert hall.

He said earlier: "For Russia, Ukraine is not just an important trade and
economic partner, important not only because of the volume of our trade but
also because of the depth of cooperation between our enterprises and
industries." The two sides signed agreements on cooperation between
steelmakers and atomic energy companies.

Kuchma, in power for nearly a decade, weathered months of protests against
his rule in 2001. He has often turned to Russia for support when under
pressure. The former missile factory boss is now under fire for trying to
change
the constitution ahead of a presidential election in October.

A proposed amendment would give Ukraine's pro-Kuchma parliament the
right to elect the president in 2006 instead of the public, possibly
allowing Kuchma or an ally to take back the presidency. Kuchma says he
will not run in the October polls.

Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, favourite to win in October, has
called the constitutional reform bill a "coup" attempt while European
monitors have criticised it.

Putin, heavy favourite to win Russia's presidential election in March,
declined to comment on what he said was Ukraine's domestic affair.
Officials also steered clear of the thorny issue of Ukraine's Odessa-Brody
pipeline project which rivals Russia in shipping Caspian oil to the West.

The European Union and Poland have backed Ukraine on the project and
Kiev approved a plan this month to extend the pipeline onto Polish
territory. Russia hopes Ukraine will have the pipeline flow in the opposite
direction to carry Russian oil to the Mediterranean. (END) (ARTUIS)
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2005, No. 14: ARTICLE NUMBER FIVE
=========================================================
5. MOSCOW TV CHANNEL TAKES A GRIM VIEW OF
RUSS0-UKRAINE RELATIONS

Ren TV, Moscow, in Russian, 23 Jan 04
BBC Monitoring, UK, in English, Jan 23, 04

Source: [Presenter] Ukraine is celebrating the 350th anniversary of
Pereyaslavskaya Rada [a public rally held in the Ukrainian town of
Pereyaslav in 1654 in support of Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytskyy's
proposal to form a union with Russia against Poland], a symbol of
Russian-Ukrainian unity.

The Russian president will participate in the celebration. Putin is
expected to arrive in Kiev in the afternoon. He will also attend the
ceremony closing a Year of Russia in Ukraine. Our special
correspondent Aleksey Zubov reports from Kiev in what mood the
Ukrainians are meeting the esteemed guest.

[Correspondent] Nothing in the streets of Kiev reminds one either of the
350th anniversary of Pereyaslavskaya Rada, which is described by historians
as a moment of union of the two countries, or about the Year of Russia in
Ukraine, or about the Russian president's forthcoming visit. Near the
monument to Bohdan Khmelnytskyy an old man approached us to ask
when picketing in protest against Putin's visit would start.

[Unidentified man, speaking to camera] Because they organized Tuzla
[border dispute]. Because they all were barking at us, insulting us and
spitting in the face of the Ukrainian people.

[Correspondent] People in Kiev say that the Year of Russia has failed to
achieve its goal. Instead of strengthening friendship between the two
fraternal nations, we got the Tuzla conflict, discrepancies over the
creation of a single economic zone and a suspicion that the Russian capital
was participating in unscrupulous privatization of Ukrainian state property.

Ordinary people and the political elite distrust Moscow. This is the
predominant feeling. The elite took every advantage of the Tuzla situation.
Everyone demonstrated their zeal in defending Ukraine. Even political
adversaries joined ranks in the face of a common enemy.

[Volodymyr Malynkovych, captioned as Kiev political analyst] The whole
of Ukrainian society felt that they were Ukrainians, that the interests of
Ukraine were significantly different from the interests of Russia, and that
Russia could be not only a friend but also an enemy of Ukraine.

[Correspondent] The plans to create a single economic zone cause more and
more doubt in this situation. Kiev does not believe that Moscow would ever
sell oil and oil products to Ukraine at Russian domestic prices, while
cheap Ukrainian sugar and alcohol may seriously damage the interests of
Russian manufacturers if the border is open.

Representatives of the Russian public organizations do not expect anything
positive from the imminent change of power in the autumn [Ukrainian
presidential election in October 2004].

[Pavel Baulin, captioned as deputy chairman of the Russian Bloc party]
Irrespective of who becomes president - [Viktor] Yushchenko, [Viktor]
Yanukovych, [Oleksandr] Moroz or anybody else - the general orientation
will be towards the West. I would say figuratively that the Ukrainian cart
is driving toward the West.

[Correspondent] However, according to the results of opinion polls, the
majority of Ukrainians still regard Bohdan Khmelnytskyy, who pledged an
oath of allegiance to the Moscow tsar, as the greatest statesman in
Ukrainian history. (END) (ARTUIS)
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 14: ARTICLE NUMBER SIX
=========================================================
6. TOP US DIPLOMAT: CONCERNS ABOUT UKRAINE'S
DEMOCRACY COULD DERAIL ITS NATO ASPIRATIONS

Associated Press Online; Kiev, Ukraine, Jan 23, 2004

KYIV.......A top American diplomat warned Ukraine Friday that concerns about
its adherence to democracy could set back the ex-Soviet republic's hopes of
NATO membership.

Speaking to reporters via video link from Washington, U.S. Assistant
Secretary of State Elizabeth Jones expressed "quite a lot of difficulty and
concern" with the "paucity of debate" last month when Ukraine's parliament
"rushed" through preliminary approval of constitutional amendments calling
for president to be elected by lawmakers rather than popular vote starting
in 2006.

Last week, opposition politicians exhibited video footage and photos of the
parliamentary vote that showed some lawmakers voting with both hands after
members of the opposition had broken the electronic voting system in
protest.

Opposition leaders believe they can win October's presidential election, and
are incensed at the prospect of parliament, now controlled by forces backing
President Leonid Kuchma, usurping that power.

Jones praised Ukraine's 1,650 peacekeepers participating in the U.S.-led
coalition in Iraq and stressed Washington's eagerness to support Kiev's bid
for eventual membership in NATO.

However, she said Ukraine must first prove its "ability to work in a
democratic fashion" before gaining acceptance by NATO, an "organization of
like-minded nations."

Jones' comments came just days after the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe's lead democracy monitor for Ukraine put Kiev on notice
that amending the country's seven-year-old constitution just months before
scheduled presidential elections was unacceptable.

Kuchma excoriated the European delegation for meddling in its internal
affairs and accused opposition lawmakers of "hooligan tactics."

"We don't need sermons ... there is nothing happening in Ukraine that
presents a particular threat to democracy," Kuchma was quoted as saying by
the Interfax news agency.

NATO member states are expected to consider putting Ukraine on the
membership track at a June summit in Istanbul. (tv/vi) (END(ARTUIS)
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 14: ARTICLE NUMBER SEVEN
=========================================================
7. UKRAINE'S EFFORTS TO POLICE INTERNET WORRY JOURNALISTS

By Charles Hawley, Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor
The Christian Science Monitor, Boston, MA, January 23, 2004

KIEV, UKRAINE - Sergei Sukhobok is well aware of the difficulties - and the
dangers - of being an Internet journalist in Ukraine.

In 2001, he was pushed out of the online newspaper he started by angry
financiers who accused him of being too critical of the government. In 2002,
the offices of his new journal were raided and his computers destroyed by
tax officers - a police force that often harasses government opponents.
Later that year, police arrested Mr. Sukhobok on unknown charges, and he
says he was shadowed by the secret police.

Sukhobok persevered and started a third online newspaper. Yet his resilience
may prove insufficient to keep his career on track. Recent activity aimed at
increasing government control over the Internet is threatening
cyberjournalism in Ukraine, say journalists here. Two proposed laws, given
initial approval by Ukraine's parliament in November, would give the
government wide powers to interfere with press freedom. Ostensibly to combat
terrorism, the laws - coming as an election year begins in Ukraine - have
been widely interpreted as the first steps by President Leonid Kuchma in his
bid to stay in office, and as a move by Ukraine away from European-style
democracy.

"I think the government is trying to quiet opposition voices, and that these
new laws will give them a legal basis to shut us down," Sukhobok says.
This antidemocratic trend is visible across the region. Belarus to the north
has one of the world's most restrictive Internet policies, and opposition
groups have virtually no way to reach the public. And press freedoms in
Russia, which still has considerable influence in Ukraine, continue to erode
as the government tightens its grip on the media.

The first of the restrictive laws, proposed by Ukraine's secret service
(SBU), would require Internet providers to purchase and install equipment
that would allow the SBU, a successor to the KGB, to monitor e-mails and
websites. The second law would outlaw publishing anything "damaging to an
individual's reputation" and make Internet journals legally responsible for
the "reliability, completeness, and timeliness" of their reports. The law's
vague wording makes it a powerful weapon against dissident online newspapers
and nonconformist journalists, says Ivan Lozowy, director of the Institute
of Statehood and Democracy, an independent think tank in Ukraine.

Both laws will probably be put to a vote by mid-February. Yuriy Lutsenko, a
coauthor of the bill, told the Interfax News Agency that he sees no problem
with the legislation: "This regulation is necessary. It enables a watch to
be kept on what is happening in the traffic. When introducing the
regulation, we made use of European experience, conducted public hearings,
and I am not aware of any objections from Internet service providers."

Boris Mostovia, former director of Ukraine's Internet domain, views the
legislation in a darker light. The government "wants to build a kind of
Great Wall of China around the Internet," he says. "They don't want to use
brute force. They are trying to do it through legislation."

Mr. Mostovia has experienced firsthand the government's sudden interest in
the Internet. He lost his position as Ukraine domain director last July when
control of the domain was wrested from the privately run company Hostmaster
and handed over to the Ukrainian Center for Information Technology - a new
body made up of the state communications committee and the SBU. Hostmaster
has appealed, but Mostovia is pessimistic.

While the government began showing interest in obtaining the Ukraine domain
in 2000, it was the murder of Internet journalist Georgy Gongadze in
November of that year - and the subsequent publication on the Internet of
tape transcripts claiming to indicate possible involvement by key officials
in Kuchma's government - that made Internet control a priority, Mostovia
says. Gongadze had been investigating high-level government corruption.

The death last month of Volodymyr Karachevtsev, an Internet journalist also
investigating corruption in Ukraine, may intensify the pressure. While it is
not clear whether he was murdered, the press-freedom watchdog Reporters
Without Borders is urging a thorough investigation.

Governmental efforts to control cyberspace come as Ukraine begins
preparations for presidential elections, to be held next fall, and are seen
by many as an attempt by President Kuchma to muzzle a powerful source of
opposition.

Others believe the country's powerful secret service is pulling the strings.
"In my view, it is more of a sign of the general development in Ukraine,"
says Juri Durkot, a Ukrainian journalist. "We are not necessarily moving
toward a dictatorship, but the trend is toward a police state." (END)
LINK: http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0123/p05s01-woeu.html
=========================================================
"WELCOME TO UKRAINE" MAGAZINE
Just A Great, World Class Magazine about Ukraine, In English
http://www.artukraine.com/travel/wumagazine.htm
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 14: ARTICLE NUMBER EIGHT
=========================================================
8. FEATURES OF AN AUTHORITARIAN SOCIETY CAN BE SEEN
IN THE NEWS COVERAGE OF LEADING UKRAINIAN TV CHANNELS

Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kiev, in Russian, 22 Jan 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jan 22, 2004

Kiev, 22 January: Features of authoritarian society can be seen more and
more in the news coverage of leading Ukrainian TV channels, the president of
the Ukrainian Press Academy, Valeriy Ivanov, has said.

This is clear from the results of the content analysis of news programmes
broadcast by leading TV channels in the first week of every month, which is
carried out by the academy's project called Political News Monitoring, which
is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation [a branch of the
Soros Fund], he said.

Ivanov told a news conference at the office of Interfax-Ukraine today that
the content analysis covers six leading TV channels - UT1, One Plus One,
Inter, STB, ICTV and Novyy Kanal - and, partially, the 5th Channel.

"The channels continue to violate journalistic standards", which is
manifested in the "identical" coverage of news on all the channels and an
increase in the number of events covered "from only one viewpoint", Ivanov
said. The number of events presented with the views of both sides decreased
from 20 per cent in November 2003 to 10 per cent in December. In addition,
the number of news that had no reference to a source also increased.

Another manifestation of a strengthening authoritarian trend is a smaller
number of reports about public institutions, primarily political parties,
and increased attention to the bodies of power and individual politicians.

COVERAGE INSTRUCTIONS

"It can be seen that all the leading channels are guided by the same point
of view, apart from the 5th Channel. This is caused by top managers - they
clearly gave orders how some events must be covered because the [news]
picture on all the channels is practically identical," Ivanov pointed out.

"It is not difficult to guess who is giving orders to the top managers," he
said. "These are so called 'coverage instructions'. They exist but maybe in
another form now. Journalists know journalistic standards very well and they
would have produced a professional product if they had not been given
orders," he said.

Presenting the results of the content analysis for the first week of
December 2003, the leader of the news monitoring project, Nataliya Kostenko,
noted that attention to political institutions increased from two thirds [of
all the news] in October to four fifths in December. Attention to Ukrainian
President Leonid Kuchma increased from 20 per cent to 25 per cent of all the
news about Ukraine.

The parliamentary [propresidential] majority and the opposition were
mentioned in 79 per cent and 21 per cent of reports respectively, which
confirms the general trend not to draw attention to that political force
[the opposition]. Other leaders in terms of mentioning in the news were
Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and parliament speaker Volodymyr
Lytvyn. There are no opposition representatives, apart from Communist leader
Petro Symonenko, among the political figures frequently mentioned in the
news.

CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM COVERAGE

The content analysis of news on 23-25 January, when the Supreme Council
[parliament] gave a preliminary approval to the constitutional reform bill,
showed many emotional assessments of the actions of both sides and the
procedure of passing the bill. However, the essence of the bill was not
actually explained, Kostenko noted.

Two thirds of all the reports about the events in parliament, primarily
mentioning the conflict, were presented only from one political viewpoint.
In 75 per cent of the reports the content of the bill was not mentioned, and
only 20 per cent of the reports mentioned presidential elections in
parliament. These events received the most neutral and balanced
coverage on the 5th Channel. (END) (ARTUIS)
========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 14: ARTICLE NUMBER NINE
=========================================================
9. POLISH-BRITISH CONFERENCE DISCUSSES UKRAINE'S
FUTURE NATO MEMBERSHIP
"Ukraine must prove its dedication to democratic values"

Gazeta Wyborcza, Warsaw, in Polish 21 Jan 04 p 8
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Jan 21, 2004

If the current regime remains in power in Ukraine, the country will not be
invited to join NATO in the next few years to come. One has to earn such
an invitation.

A statement to this effect was made by Stephen Blackwell during the
British-Ukrainian-Polish conference "Eastern Dimension - Trilateral
Cooperation" held at our editorial office.

Other participants agreed with the expert of the British Royal United
Services Institute. They praised Ukrainian troops for their excellent
performance of duties within missions to Lebanon, Sierra Leone, and Iraq.
Ukrainian expert Hrihoriy Nemyrya, however, reminded that "not armies,
but states are admitted into NATO". He said Ukraine must prove its
dedication to democratic values if it is to be part of the Alliance.

"What will happen if the current government remains in power?" asked Gazeta
Wyborcza representatives. "We will keep trying to convince our NATO
partners that cooperation with Ukraine is worthwhile. It is obvious,
however,
that the 'Ukrainian goods' we will be offering will become unattractive,"
explained former Polish Minister of National Defence Janusz Onyszkiewicz.
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 14: ARTICLE NUMBER TEN
=========================================================
10. NOTED UKRAINIAN COMPOSER VALENTIN SILVESTROV'S
MUSIC FEATURED AT WINNIPEG NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL
Program will be broadcast on the CBC Radio Two network on January 27,
on "In Performance" and around the world over the internet on www.cbc.ca

Denis Hlynka, Acting Director, Centre for Ukrainian Canadian Studies
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Sun, Jan 25, 2004

WINNIPEG.....The music of Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov was
featured at the opening concert of the 13th annual international Winnipeg
New Music Festival on Saturday January 24, 2004. Every year, at the coldest
time of the year, Winnipeg Canada presents a week-long festival of
contemporary new music.

The opening program featured music by Silvestrov along with Arvo Part,
Patrick Carrabre, and Augusta Read Thomas. The 20 minute Silvestrov work
was "Postludium," composed in 1984, and performed by internationally known
pianist Alexei Lubimov, and conducted by Andrey Boreyko.

Boreyko and Lubimov introduced the Silvestrov symphonic poem for piano and
orchestra to the audience with a brief on-stage discussion moderated by the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Eric Friesen.

The complete program will be broadcast from coast to coast on the CBC Radio
Two network on January 27, on In Performance and around the world over the
internet on www.cbc.ca.

Silvestrov was born in Kyiv in 1937. He studied music at the Kyiv
conservatory under Ukrainian composers Boris Lyatoshinsky and Lev Revutsky.
Silvestrov is considered one of the international leaders of avantgarde
exploration in contemporary music. The program notes for the Winnipeg
concert state "Valentin Silvestrov early on distanced himself from the main
trends in modern music saying 'The most important lesson of the avantgarde
was to be free of all preconceived ideas, particularly those of the
avantgarde.'
His thinking led eventually to what he called metamusik." Postludium is
considered a prototype of Silvestrov's metamusik.

One listener in the packed house, overheard during intermission, noted that
the piece evoked distant echoing of church bells as well as the song of a
nightingale. Another added that during the communist era in Ukraine, it was
possible to silence the church bells, but one could not silence the
nightingale.

Silvestrov is perhaps the most recorded Ukrainian composer on CD. Both
Boreyko and Lubimov are among the leading champions of Silvestrov's music.
========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 14: ARTICLE NUMBER ELEVEN
========================================================
11. COMPETITION OPENED FOR THE BEST DESIGN OF A
COMPLEX TO BE BUILT AS A MEMORIAL TO THE VICTIMS
OF FAMINE AND POLITICAL REPRESSIONS IN UKRAINE

UKRINFORM, Kyiv, Ukraine, January 23, 2004

KYIV......An open competition for the best project of a memorial to
the victims of famine and political repressions in Ukraine was declared
by the Ukrainian State Committee for Construction and Architecture,
the [Ukrainian] Ministry for Culture and Arts and the Kyiv City Hall.

As President Leonid Kuchma said in his speech to the people of
Ukraine in connection with the 70th anniversary of 1932 - 1933
famine in Ukraine in November 2003, the famine became a national
catastrophe in which a fifth of the population perished.

The competition, which will last through March 15, [2004] is aimed at
drafting proposals for the construction of a monument, a museum, a
conference hall and a S&R center. The competition's jury will choose
the three best projects.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is round two of the competition. The results
of the previous competition were shown at the Artists Union in Kyiv in
September of 2003. Most of the results were not world-class and were
not inspiring to say the least. From the looks of the above the results of
round one have been set aside and a round two has now begun.
========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 14: ARTICLE NUMBER TWELVE
========================================================
12. HIGH-LEVEL CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN UKRAINE AND LYBIA
LED TO CONG. CURT WELDON MENTIONED TO GADHAFI AS A
POSSIBLE ENTRY POINT TO REPUBLICANS IN WASHINGTON
Gadhafi Meeting Set: Weldon Will Lead Historic Mission to Libyan Capital

By Hans Nichols, The Hill, Washington, D.C., January 21, 2004

WASHINGTON.......Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.) will lead a historic
congressional delegation to Tripoli this weekend to hold talks with Libyan
leader Muammar Gadhafi. He and other members of Congress will also
visit one of the unconventional weapons sites that Libya has agreed to
open to international inspectors.

The touchdown of Weldon's five-member bipartisan delegation aboard a U.S.
Navy plane in Tripoli Sunday morning will mark the first official visit to
Libya by American elected representatives since relations were severed in
1979.

Weldon, who serves as vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee,
called the symbolism of a U.S. military craft entering Libyan airspace
"significant," noting the 1986 nighttime bombing by F-111 Aardvarks ordered
by President Reagan.

He plans to arrive with Gadhafi's son, Saif Islam, the heir apparent, who
played a key role in arranging the meeting. "What I want to reinforce to
Gadhafi, with a face-to-face meeting with a U.S. plane landing on the tarmac
in Tripoli, is that 'you've taken the first step,'" Weldon told The Hill.

He continued: "You've taken the first step in renouncing your nuclear
weapons program and your weapons of mass destruction. We're here to say
thank you and to acknowledge that and to see some of that evidence."

Weldon will be accompanied by Democratic Reps.. Solomon Ortiz (Texas),
Steve Israel (NY), and Rodney Alexander (La.), along with Republican
Reps. Candice Miller (Mich.) and Mark Souder (Ind.). The group will also
visit Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Weldon-led trip may eclipse another planned congressional visit to the
North African nation by Rep. Tom Lantos (D-Calif.), the ranking member on
the House International Relations Committee. Lantos, who had been planning
his own trip for over a year and was working in conjunction with the Bush
administration, was scheduled to leave Friday evening on a commercial
flight, on a trip that had been sanctioned by the departments of State and
Treasury, said a Lantos aide.

But it looked unlikely yesterday that Lantos would arrive before the Weldon
group. Lantos is still planning to leave this Friday, though he has a
contingency plan to leave later if necessary.

"We had an indication that the Libyan government is handling a number of
foreign visitors this weekend, including the visit of some inspectors," said
the aide. The aide dismissed any suggestion that there's a race between
Weldon and Lantos as to who gets to Libya.

But another congressional aide speculated that Weldon, with his forceful
personality and extensive if unorthodox foreign contacts, was able to ensure
that he and his delegation would be the first to meet Gadhafi.

"I would encourage other members to go," said Weldon. "I support them
and I will tell them to let Tom Lantos in. Tom's a very respected member,"
Weldon continued. "I'd like to leave tomorrow, but the Navy told us a plane
wasn't available until Saturday."

Some of Weldon's previous foreign trips have run him afoul of the
administration. In October, the White House denied him a military plane to
travel to North Korea, an impediment Weldon then blamed on National
Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. "I can tell you that the NSC is totally
aware of the [Libya] trip," said Weldon. "They will never probably say
they are supporting it; that's always the case," he said.

Weldon's backdoor diplomacy with Libya was facilitated through his contacts
with oil executives through his honorary chairmanship of International
Energy Advisory Council (IEAC) as well as through his relationship with
Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma.

For several months before the announcement by President Bush that Libya had
agreed to inspections of its unconventional and possibly nuclear programs,
leaders in Tripoli had been seeking advice from their counterparts in the
Ukraine over how the former Soviet satellite had dismantled its nuclear
capability at the end of the Cold War. In those high-level conversations
between the Ukrainians and the Libyans, Weldon's name was mentioned to
Gadhafi as a possible entry point to Republicans in Washington.

Through a contact on the IEAC, Weldon finally arranged a meeting with
Gadhafi's second son, Saif Islam, 34, currently a doctoral candidate at the
London School of Economics.

While a potential trip to Libya was nearly one year in the planning, Weldon
said it quickly came together after a three-hour dinner with Saif Islam at
London's Four Seasons Hotel on Jan. 13, eight days ago.

During the meal, Saif Islam pulled out his cell phone, called his father and
relayed the congressman's strong interest in verifying Libya's declared
intention to rid itself of its unconventional weapons programs.

Saif Islam hung up and told Weldon that his father would welcome him,
Weldon said. "My goal is to let them know that the president sets our
foreign policy with the secretary of state and that we're not there to speak
on behalf of the country," Weldon told The Hill.

"But if Gadhafi continues what he's doing, which is being very well
received. Then we in the Congress, in both parties, are prepared to look at
ideas to bring their universities together with our universities, to bring
our NGOs [nongovernmental organizations] with theirs, on environmental
issues and health care issues," he said.

Earlier this month, the White House said that sanctions against Libya will
remain in place but promised to take "tangible steps" if Tripoli addresses
U.S. concerns on weapons of mass destruction. (END) (ARTUIS)
LINK: http://www.hillnews.com/news/012104/gadhafi.aspx
========================================================
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