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"THE ACTION UKRAINE REPORT"
In-Depth Ukrainian News, Analysis, and Commentary
"The Art of Ukrainian History, Culture, Arts, Business, Religion,
Sports, Government, and Politics, in Ukraine and Around the World"
COUNCIL OF EUROPE: PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY
MONITORING COMMITTEE:
"....the information on the current pre-election environment by the
Committee's rapporteurs who recently returned from Ukraine is a
cause for great concern."
"THE ACTION UKRAINE REPORT" Year 04, Number 102
Action Ukraine Coalition (AUC), Washington, D.C.
Ukrainian Federation of America (UFA), Huntingdon Valley, PA
morganw@patriot.net, ArtUkraine.com@starpower.net
Washington, D.C.; Kyiv, Ukraine, TUESDAY, June 22, 2004
-----INDEX OF ARTICLES-----
"Major International News Headlines and Articles"
1. CURRENT PRE-ELECTION ENVIRONMENT IN UKRAINE
IS A CAUSE FOR GREAT CONCERN
Council of Europe, Parliamentary Assembly
Statement By Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments
by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee)
Ivi-Triin Odrats, Co-Secretary
Strasbourg, France, Tuesday, June 22, 2004
2. INFORMATION MEMORANDUM ON THE CO-RAPPORTEURS
VISIT TO UKRAINE, MAY 17 - JUNE 3, 2004
COUNCIL OF EUROPE Parliamentary Assembly
Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member
States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee)
Information Memorandum on the Co-rapporteurs' visit to Ukraine
(May 17-June 3, 2004)
Co-rapporteurs: Mrs. Hanne Severinsen, Denmark,
Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group;
Mrs. Renate Wohlwend, Liechtenstein,
Group of the European People's Party.
Released by the Monitoring Committee on Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Ivi-Triin Odrats, Co-Secretary
Strasbourg, France, Tuesday, June 22, 2004
3.UKRAINE FOREIGN MINISTER KOSTYANTYN HRYSHCHENKO
HAS TALKS WITH U.S. SECRETARY COLIN POWELL
ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in Russian, 21 Jun 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Tuesday, Jun 22, 2004
4. UKRAINE'S FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS RUSSIA SHOULD
TAKE PART IN NATO EXERCISES
ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, 22 Jun 04
5. MAN CONFESSES TO KILLING UKRAINIAN JOURNALIST
GEORGIY GONGADZE
REUTERS, Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, June 22, 2004
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ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 102: ARTICLE NUMBER ONE
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1. CURRENT PRE-ELECTION ENVIRONMENT IN UKRAINE
IS A CAUSE FOR GREAT CONCERN
COUNCIL OF EUROPE, PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY
Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by
Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee)
Ivi-Triin Odrats, Co-Secretary
Strasbourg, France, Tuesday, June 22, 2004
The Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe adopted a statement at its meeting this morning
(Tuesday, June 22) on the preparations of the presidential elections in
Ukraine and on the follow-up to the Assembly Resolution 1364 (2004),
which was adopted in January. Also, the Committee decided to declassify
the co-rapporteurs' (Mrs Severinsen and Mrs Wohlwend) report on their
concerns after their last visit. (Ivi-Triin Odrats, Co-Secretary)
STATEMENT by the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary
Assembly on the forthcoming presidential elections in Ukraine.
Adopted by the Monitoring Committee on 22.06.04:
The October 31 elections are an opportunity for Ukraine to ensure full
respect for the principles of pluralist democracy, human rights and the rule
of law. A credible democratic election could reverse the current political
trend in the country and give it a chance to anchor itself more firmly in
the family of European democracies.
However, the information on the current pre-election environment by the
Committee's rapporteurs who recently returned from Ukraine is a cause for
great concern. It should be recalled that, in January this year, the
Assembly asked the Ukrainian authorities to abstain from unconstitutional
acts or actions and carry out free and fair presidential elections in
October, or face a challenge to the credentials of the Ukrainian delegation
and, possibly, questioning of the country's status as a member of the
Council of Europe.
The Committee believes that the on-going constitutional reform, which is in
principle highly needed, should be postponed until after the presidential
election and then be conducted in a democratic and transparent manner, in
strict compliance with the existing constitution and taking into account the
advice of the Venice Commission. In this regard, an opinion of the Venice
Commission on the issue whether the process of amending the Constitution
of Ukraine is in conformity with the Assembly's resolutions 1346 (2003) and
1364 (2004) would be welcome.
The Committee calls on the Ukrainian authorities to conduct the election
process with absolute impartiality and respect for Council of Europe
standards, to allow all candidates to compete on fair and equitable grounds.
Against the background of harassments of journalists and blatant violations
of electoral standards which occurred during the recent local election in
Mukacheve, as well as the absence of an appropriate official reaction to
these events, the Committee calls on the Ukrainian authorities to carry out
a credible investigation and, if justified, sanctions of the incidents. They
should also fully commit themselves to prevent any such violations in the
future.
The recently adopted Law with amendments concerning state secrets
protection (#1703-IV), the controversial provisions in the new Civil Code
and administrative practices which restrict the freedom of information and
amount to censorship should be urgently abolished.
The transformation of the state television company into a genuinely
independent public broadcaster should be accelerated. The organisation of
live televised debates between candidates for Presidency on state-owned and
private channels would help to make the electoral process fair and
equitable.
The Ukrainian authorities should clarify and improve the status of domestic
observers and candidates' representatives in all the phases of the electoral
process, and facilitate a large scale deployment of international observers.
Voters' lists should be updated and the Ukrainians living abroad (almost 15%
of the total population) should be given a chance to vote. The composition
of electoral commissions at all levels should respect a fair balance between
political parties.
The Committee reiterates the call made by the Assembly last January for the
immediate appointment of a special representative of the Secretary General
of the Council of Europe to assist the Ukrainian authorities in the
preparation of the elections. It regrets that this appointment has not yet
taken place. (END) (See attachment to this e-mail also)
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Our thanks to Ivi-Triin Odrats, Co-Secretary,
Monitoring Committee, for sending us this timely information. We
appreciated her assistance when representatives of the U.S.-Ukraine
Foundation (USUF) met with the co-rapporteurs, Hanne Severinsen and
Renate Wohlwend, in Kyiv on Thursday, June 3, 2004.
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ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 102: ARTICLE NUMBER TWO
Current Events Gallery: http://www.artukraine.com/events/index.htm
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2. INFORMATION MEMORANDUM ON THE CO-RAPPORTEURS
VISIT TO UKRAINE, MAY 17 - JUNE 3, 2004
COUNCIL OF EUROPE Parliamentary Assembly
Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member
States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee)
Information Memorandum on the Co-rapporteurs' visit to Ukraine
(May 17-June 3, 2004)
Co-rapporteurs: Mrs. Hanne Severinsen, Denmark,
Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group;
Mrs. Renate Wohlwend, Liechtenstein,
Group of the European People's Party.
Released by the Monitoring Committee on Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Ivi-Triin Odrats, Co-Secretary
Strasbourg, France, Tuesday, June 22, 2004
EDITOR'S NOTE....the entire Information Memorandum on the Co-
rapporteurs' visit to Ukraine can be found as an attachment to this e-mail.
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ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 102: ARTICLE NUMBER THREE
Ukrainian Culture Gallery: http://www.ArtUkraine.com/cultgallery.htm
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3. UKRAINE FOREIGN MINISTER KOSTYANTYN HRYSHCHENKO
HAS TALKS WITH U.S. SECRETARY COLIN POWELL
ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in Russian, 21 Jun 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Tuesday, Jun 22, 2004
WASHINGTON - [as received]: Bilateral cooperation, the presidential
elections scheduled for 31 October in Ukraine, cooperation in Iraq and the
agenda of next week's Istanbul NATO summit were discussed at Monday's [21
June] meeting between US Secretary of State Colin Powell and Ukrainian
Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Hryshchenko, who is paying a working visit to
Washington.
The State Department press service told ITAR-TASS news agency that Powell
and Hryshchenko "had preliminary talks about the forthcoming summit and the
continuing partnership with Ukraine and other countries taking part in the
coalition in Iraq.
"The Secretary of State also registered the importance that we attach to the
free and fair conduct of the presidential elections. Elections that meet
international standards will give a positive impulse to US-Ukrainian ties
and the efforts of Kiev to integrate itself into the Euro-Atlantic
community," the State Department said. (END)
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ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 102: ARTICLE NUMBER FOUR
Current Events Gallery: http://www.artukraine.com/events/index.htm
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4. UKRAINE'S FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS RUSSIA SHOULD
TAKE PART IN NATO EXERCISES
ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, 22 Jun 04
WASHINGTON - Ukraine believes that Russia should take part in all the NATO
military exercises to be held on Ukrainian territory, Ukrainian Foreign
Minister Kostyantyn Hryshchenko, now on a working visit in the United
States, told ITAR-TASS.
Early this year Kiev signed a memorandum with NATO, which specified concrete
terms of access of NATO units to the territory of Ukraine for holding
military exercises. "We have always favoured Russia's participation in all
the military exercises held on our territory," Hryshchenko said.
According to Hryshchenko, Ukraine regards cooperation with NATO as a
potential of progress for itself. Responding to the question on whether Kiev
set any time limits for joining NATO, Hryshchenko said: "Time limits are not
the most important thing. What is really important is the result of our
cooperation with NATO." He believes Ukraine's stand on the problem is
pragmatic and well balanced. "We have set the final goal for ourselves: the
joining of NATO. But it is important for us to see that every step towards
attaining the goal brings some advantages to us."
The Ukraine-NATO commission is going to meet within the framework of the
coming NATO summit, which opens in Istanbul next week. According to the
information from some representatives of the US Administration, who
preferred to remain anonymous, important resolutions on Ukraine may be
adopted at the meeting. Ukrainian officials, however, have stated on more
than one occasion that they do not pin any special hopes on the NATO summit
in Istanbul. Neither do they believe that it will bring any substantial
changes in the relationship between Ukraine and NATO. (END)
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ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 102: ARTICLE NUMBER FIVE
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5. MAN CONFESSES TO KILLING UKRAINIAN JOURNALIST
GEORGIY GONGADZE
REUTERS, Kiev, Ukraine, Tuesday, June 22, 2004
KIEV - A man has confessed to killing opposition Internet reporter Georgiy
Gongadze, Ukraine’s prosecutor general’s office says, adding it is still
chasing up other leads to find the murderer.
Gongadze’s headless corpse was found in November 2000 and since then the
prosecutor’s office has more than once announced it had found the murderer,
only for the investigation to stall.
The latest announcement on Tuesday came just days after Ukraine was
criticised for not pursuing the case vigorously and for guarding President
Leonid Kuchma, who was linked to the murder by his former bodyguard. Kuchma
denies the charges.
"During questioning the man said he had committed the murder of Gongadze.
His statement fits the circumstances of the murder at the time and other key
moments, which are already in the public domain," the prosecutor general’s
office said in a statement. "He said he had decapitated him."
The man, known only as K, had been previously prosecuted for murders, it
said. "Investigators are following all leads to find the murderer of
Gongadze."
Ukraine has often been criticised by the West for muzzling the press and for
failing to push its investigation into the Gongadze murder.
On Saturday, Britain’s Independent newspaper reported that leaked
confidential documents showed senior governments had tried to wreck the
murder investigation and that the cover-up involved the killing of a key
witness while in custody.
Kuchma was linked to the murder after his former bodyguard Mykola
Melnychenko fled Ukraine with tapes he recorded in the veteran leader’s
office. In one excerpt Kuchma is reported to have said someone should "deal"
with Gongadze, who was critical of the authorities.
Kuchma, who has said he would step down in presidential elections in
October, weathered months of mass protests in 2001 over the charges.
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