"UKRAINE REPORT"
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"

"[Tymoshenko] Good evening. I think this can be said in a short and simple
way. If these changes to the constitution become reality, then in 2004
society will be given the task of electing a president a person who will be
empty-handed and without power. That is, an official without any power...

And that is why tonight I cannot say "good evening" or "hi" because the
evening is not good and there is nothing good to greet. Today, we had
the latest tragedy, but that does not mean that there is no way out of it."
[article two]

"UKRAINE REPORT" 2004, Number 19
U.S.-UKRAINE FOUNDATION (USUF)
www.ArtUkraine.com Information Service (ARTUIS)
morganw@patriot.net, ArtUkraine.com@starpower.net
Kyiv, Ukraine and Washington, D.C., Wednesday, February 4, 2004

INDEX OF ARTICLES

1. UKRAINE'S PARLIAMENT VOTES TO KEEP ELECTION
OF PRESIDENT BY POPULAR VOTE
Yushchenko Against Handing Vast Presidential Powers to the Prime Minister
By Pavel Polityuk, Reuters, Kiev, Ukraine, February 3, 2004

2. UKRAINIAN OPPOSITION FIGURE TYMOSHENKO CRITICIZES
CONSTITUTION AMENDMENTS BILL
President Will Be Without Power and Empty Handed, Today's Vote
Means the People Will Have a Puppet, Not A Proper President
Radio Kontynent, Kiev, Ukraine, in Ukrainian, 3 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, In English, Feb 03, 2004

3. "OUR UKRAINE" LEADER YUSHCHENKO CRITICIZES SOCIALIST
PARTY VOTING REGARDING CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION
Ukrayinska Pravda web site, Kiev, in Ukrainian 3 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Feb 03, 2004

4. UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT PROPOSES ALL NEW MEMBERS
FOR THE CENTRAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION
UT1, Kiev, in Ukrainian, 2 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Feb 02, 2004

5. KUCHMA CALLS ON UKRAINIAN DIASPORA TO COME TO
UKRAINE AND ENGAGE IN CONSTRUCTIVE ACTIVITY
Ukrainian News, Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, February 2, 2004

6.U.S. OIL GIANT CHEVRONTEXACO EYES UKRAINE'S PIPELINE
UNIAN news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, in Ukrainian, 3 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, In English, Feb 03, 2004

7. POLISH BUSINESSMEN IN UKRAINE CALL FOR HELP
AGAINST UKRAINIAN COURTS AND OFFICIALS IN LVOV
Polish News Bulletin; Warsaw, Poland, Feb 03, 2004

8. RUSSIA AND UKRAINE: MOVING TOWARD EUROPE TOGETHER
Raisa Zubova, Russian Information Agency (RIA) Novosti, Jan 28, 2004

9. "LET'S STOP AIDS" UKRAINIAN ANTI-AIDS CAMPAIGN
PRESS RELEASE, Elena Franchuk Foundation "ANTI-AIDS"
Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, January 15, 2004

10. EUROPE'S FIRST WARNING
By Viktor Zamyatin, The Day Weekly Digest in English
Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, February 3, 2004

11. RUSSIA TO GIVE BACK SEVEN FRESCOES TO UKRAINE
ITAR-TASS, Moscow, Russia, Feb. 1, 2004

12. 950TH ANNIVERSARY OF 'YAROSLAV THE WISE'S' DEATH
Ukrainian News, Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, February 3, 2004
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 19: ARTICLE NUMBER ONE
=========================================================
1. UKRAINE'S PARLIAMENT VOTES TO KEEP ELECTION
OF PRESIDENT BY POPULAR VOTE
Yushchenko Against Handing Vast Presidential Powers to the Prime Minister

By Pavel Polityuk, Reuters, Kiev, Ukraine, February 3, 2004

KIEV, Ukraine (Reuters) - Allies of President Leonid Kuchma bowed to
pressure from opposition parties and Western rights groups Tuesday and voted
to uphold Ukraine's system of electing the head of state by popular vote.

But the ex-Soviet state's pro-reform opposition, after a boisterous session
of parliament, said the veteran president was still determined to defy
international criticism and change the constitution before a presidential
election in October.

Just over 300 deputies in the 450-seat parliament voted to keep the existing
electoral system, reversing proposed changes which had split public opinion
and halted parliament's activity.

Kuchma's allies had rammed a bill through parliament in December on first
reading providing for the chamber, dominated by his allies, to elect the
head of state from 2006.

"We have excluded the article about electing the president by parliament,
keeping in force provisions of the current constitution," Stepan Havrysh,
who coordinates the efforts of pro-presidential factions, told reporters.
"The president will be elected in 2004 by popular vote and for a five-year
term."

Tuesday's session degenerated into fistfights around the chamber's rostrum
with Kuchma's opponents shouting "Constitution!" and tossing papers and
flowers at the speaker.

The vote overturned the December proposal ahead of the presidential
campaign, which Kuchma says he will not contest despite being given the
go-ahead from the Constitutional Court.

Kuchma's approval rating stands at under nine percent in opinion polls, far
behind Viktor Yushchenko, an ex-prime minister and opposition figure on 23
percent.

OPPOSITION WARNS OF COUP

Opposition leaders have long accused Kuchma of plotting a "coup" either by
trying to stay in office, overseeing the election by parliament of a new
president close to him or keeping control of affairs by handing more powers
to Ukraine's prime minister.

Yushchenko accused pro-presidential members of parliament of making an
"illegitimate" attempt at constitutional change.

"They voted with one objective, to hand vast presidential powers to the
prime minister," he said in a statement. "This decision is a way to preserve
the current regime. If we do not stick to the constitution, chaos will break
out in the country."

Kuchma's supporters vowed to pursue other amendments. These include
extending parliament's term to five years and empowering the chamber to name
the prime minister and most of his cabinet.

The Council of Europe, a continent-wide rights watchdog, has denounced any
attempt to alter the constitution ahead of the election and threatened to
suspend Ukraine's membership should it not provide conditions for a free and
fair presidential poll.

Kuchma, first elected in 1994, has had little trouble seeing off the
opposition despite his lack of popularity and weathered months of protests
demanding his removal in 2001 and 2002.

He says the constitutional reforms are needed to help the ex-Soviet state
catch up with its neighbors in central Europe, three of which are joining
the European Union in May. (END) (ARTUIS)
========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 19: ARTICLE NUMBER TWO
=========================================================
2. UKRAINIAN OPPOSITION FIGURE TYMOSHENKO CRITICIZES
CONSTITUTION AMENDMENTS BILL
President Will Be Without Power and Empty Handed, Today's Vote
Means the People Will Have a Puppet, Not A Proper President

Radio Kontynent, Kiev, Ukraine, in Ukrainian, 3 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, In English, Feb 03, 2004

Ukrainian opposition figure Yuliya Tymoshenko has criticized plans by
President Leonid Kuchma's supporters to change the constitution ahead of the
October presidential election, even though the controversial clause on
abolishing direct presidential elections has been withdrawn.

She said the amendments would transfer the president's vast powers to
parliament, which is dominated by Kuchma's supporters, and make the
opposition's victory in the October elections meaningless. She promised to
fight the amendments bill in court.

The following is an excerpt from the interview with opposition MP Yuliya
Tymoshenko broadcast on a talk show on the Ukrainian radio station Radio
Kontynent broadcast on 3 February:

[Presenter] Let's imagine that today is 3 February 2005. A year from today.
This reform which was voted through today has gone through and everything
has taken place as it should in accordance with democracy, with the
democratic way.

I hope to hear from you [that is, from studio guest Stephan Havrysh, the
coordinator of the parliamentary majority] after we have heard from the
person who is on the line right now, who is Yuliya Volodymyrivna
Tymoshenko [the head of the opposition Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc.]

Good evening. Mrs Tymoshenko, in your view, what will Ukraine look like in
exactly a year's time taking into account today's events and prospects for
change to the constitution and the political system.

[Tymoshenko] Good evening. I think this can be said in a short and simple
way. If these changes to the constitution become reality, then in 2004
society will be given the task of electing a president a person who will be
empty-handed and without power. That is, an official without any power. And
this power will take from society time, will put forward its plans but there
will be no levers for them to be introduced.

However, against the background of this, the current parliamentary majority,
which we all know very well, and how it was formed and for what it votes
for. Well, it will elect the prime minister with 226 votes [the minimum
number of votes to adopt a law in the Ukrainian parliament] who will have
virtually the same powers which the current present has today.

And this parliamentary majority, in which there are many honest people, but
in total, they will vote for either Leonid Danylovych [Kuchma, the current
president], or [Prime Minister Viktor] Yanukovych, [Transport Minister
Heorhiy] Kirpa or [presidential chief-of-staff Viktor] Medvedchuk. The
surnames are not important. What is important is preservation of those
proportions of organizations in today's society.

As a result, the president who will not be able to carry out those promises
made during the presidential election will be virtually discredited. In
2006, we will have the next parliamentary elections with full usurpation of
power by three [financial and industrial] clans in the country which will
have the parliamentary majority in their hands.

And in 2006 they will pass a proportional election system which will be
very similar to a first-past-the-post system and will bring in their
absolute majority for many, many years. This is the future for us.

As a consequence, the economic improvement felt by people will be a 5-7
hryvnyas rise to pension and wages per annum. At the same, inflation will
definitely eat up a lot more. These are people who are not concerned today
with how to make society more harmonious and fairer. I do not want to see
Ukraine become like this.

And that is why tonight I cannot say "good evening" or "hi" because the
evening is not good and there is nothing good to greet. Today, we had the
latest tragedy, but that does not mean that there is no way out of it.

Today, in your studio you have a person who is a lawyer [Havrysh] and who
understands law very well. And he knows perfectly well that the first vote
in parliament [on changes to the constitution on 24 December 2003] and
today's vote, the second, were both taken with all possible provisions of
parliamentary procedure, constitution and legislation.

There is nowhere to hide the illegitimacy of this process and in the next
few days, or tomorrow, or the day after, a news conference I will make
public an inquiry to be submitted to the Constitutional Court and a court of
general jurisprudence which will contain the grossest violations that can be
imagined, written in a clear and precise manner.

And a result of those questions submitted to a court of law, or now, or
after the election of such an empty president, but these changes to the
constitution will be overturned by an honest court. That which was planned
today by Medvedchuk will not happen in Ukraine.

[Passage omitted: Havrysh says reform needed, outlines his case, says the
president will have some powers.]

[Tymoshenko] The fact of the matter is that those powers outlined by Mr
Havrysh just now in his speech are somewhat incomplete. First, the president
has the power to dissolve parliament. What is this? A right to dissolve
parliament which can be used every single day by the president so that he
can bring order in society.

Dissolution of parliament is like nuclear weapons. It can exist, but it will
never be used if the president is a good one and there is harmony in
society. And so this is not a right which can bring order to society every
day.

Second, as regards the prime minister. The president has been turned into a
monkey who receives the candidacy from the oligarchic majority and who, in
the course of 15 days, is obliged to immediately submit it to parliament so
that that very majority can confirm its own oligarchic candidate as prime
minister. And after that, the president does not have the right to sack this
prime minister from his post.

This means that everything remains in the hands of the oligarchic majority
in parliament and will have no influence. The president will not be able to
appoint ministers nor change the security forces. He will do nothing, as he
is simply a statistician in this process. [Passage omitted: Tymoshenko
criticizes MPs for twisting words in order to fool ordinary people, says
today's vote means people will have a puppet and not a proper president.]
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 19: ARTICLE NUMBER THREE
=========================================================
3. "OUR UKRAINE" LEADER YUSHCHENKO CRITICIZES SOCIALIST
PARTY VOTING REGARDING CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION

Ukrayinska Pravda web site, Kiev, in Ukrainian 3 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Feb 03, 2004

The leader of [centre-right opposition bloc] Our Ukraine [Viktor Yushchenko]
has criticized the Socialist Party of Ukraine for voting during an emergency
session today. "The actions by [Socialist Party leader Oleksandr] Moroz
have paved the way for political persecution of Members of Parliament
(MPs)," Yushchenko said.

Yushchenko added that he had seen a list of the Members of Parliament
against whom the tax administration would be used to force them to vote for
political reform [proposed by supporters of President Leonid Kuchma].

As reported, parliament held an emergency session today, during which the
propresidential majority, the Communist Party and the Socialist Party
excluded a clause envisaging presidential elections in parliament from a
constitution reform bill [which was given preliminary approval by parliament
on 24 December].

Asked whether the opposition has split, Yushchenko said: "I can't say it has
split, but there is a big question mark." Asked if there still exists a
possibility that agreement could be reached with Moroz, he only said: "Time
will tell."

Yushchenko explained why Our Ukraine attempted to block the parliamentary
sitting today: because the resolution approved by the majority, the
Socialist Party and the Communist Party amended "the illegitimate resolution
passed on 24 December".

Oleksandr Turchynov, a leader of the [opposition] Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc
said his faction was blocking the rostrum [today] because two out of its
three demands had not been taken into account.

Apart from insisting that the clause on electing the president in parliament
be dropped, the bloc demanded that the 24 December vote be recognized as
illegitimate. The bloc's third demand was that the amendments to the
constitution come into force in 2006 [rather than ahead of the 2004
presidential election, as envisaged by the bill].

"One of our demands has been met, this is a bone thrown to us. We cannot
agree to this," Turchynov said. [The constitution reform proposals have
been criticized by both the West and the Ukrainian opposition. It says the
24 December vote was rigged with the ultimate purpose of prolonging the
current authorities' stay in power.] (END) (ARTUIS)
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 19: ARTICLE NUMBER FOUR
=========================================================
4. UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT PROPOSES ALL NEW MEMBERS
FOR THE CENTRAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION

UT1, Kiev, Ukraine, in Ukrainian, 2 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, in English, Feb 02, 2004

Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma has submitted to parliament draft
resolutions dismissing the [12] members of the Central Electoral Commission
and appointing all new members instead. [The Parliamentary assembly of the
Council of Europe insisted its resolution on Ukraine of 29 January 2004 that
President Kuchma proposes new members of the electoral commission as
soon as possible.]

In particular, the president proposed to appoint Valeriy Bondyk, Yaroslav
Davydovych, Yuriy Donchenko, Valentyna Zavalevska, Volodymyr Zaplatynskyy,
Ihor Kachur and Serhiy Kyvalov as new commission members. Ruslan Knyazevych,
Mykhaylo Okhendovskyy, Bronyslav Raykovskyy, Bronyslav Stychynskyy and
Ihor Tolkachov are also among possible candidates. (END) (ARTUIS)
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 19: ARTICLE NUMBER FIVE
=========================================================
5. KUCHMA CALLS ON UKRAINIAN DIASPORA TO COME TO
UKRAINE AND ENGAGE IN CONSTRUCTIVE ACTIVITY

Ukrainian News, Kyiv, Ukraine, February 2, 2004

KYIV........President Leonid Kuchma calls on the Ukrainian diaspora to
engage in constructive activity in Ukraine. He made this statement in his
interview to TV channel 1+1.

"I would like a thousand of such outstanding (successful) Ukrainians to
respond and come to Ukraine and test themselves here," Kuchma said. "Please
come to Ukraine to achieve success. Big personal success. We'll meet you
happily!" the President said.

He expressed regret concerning the oppositional moods of the Ukrainian
diaspora's organizations. "I watch regretfully some of the public
undertakings of foreign Ukrainians. They often come to fight against
anti-national regime instead of doing business. We have enough of our local
fighters, but lack workers," Kuchma said.

As Ukrainian News earlier reported, the World Ukrainian Congress has called
on President Leonid Kuchma to dismiss the Ukrainian Presidential
Administration's head Viktor Medvedchuk because of the Ukrainian House's
cancellation of an agreement to provide premises for the holding the eighth
congress of the World Ukrainian Congress.

The Congress also called for direct election of the president of Ukraine in
2004 instead of election of the president by the parliament. The Congress
was also petitioning President Leonid Kuchma to expedite passing in the
Verkhovna Rada the law "On Legal Status for Foreign Ukrainians" that he had
vetoed and to sign this document. (END) (ARTUIS)
=======================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2005, No. 19: ARTICLE NUMBER SIX
========================================================
6. U.S. OIL GIANT CHEVRONTEXACO EYES UKRAINE'S PIPELINE

UNIAN news agency, Kiev, Ukraine, in Ukrainian, 3 Feb 04
BBC Monitoring Service, UK, In English, Feb 03, 2004

Kiev, 3 February: The US-based ChevronTexaco has sent a letter to Ukrainian
Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych proposing to use Ukraine's Odessa-Brody oil
pipeline to transport oil from Odessa to Brody [as originally planned] as
early as this year, Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Minister Serhiy Yermilov told
an Internet conference today. Yermilov did not specify what ChevronTexaco's
proposals were about.

UNIAN reported earlier that Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Andriy Klyuyev
held the first meeting of the Ukrainian-US working group on creating a
Eurasian oil transport corridor on the basis of Odessa-Brody in Washington
on 29-30 January this year. ChevronTexaco which participated in the meeting
passed the letter to Yanukovych on the use of the oil pipeline.

The Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers is to decide on the direction of the oil
flow in the pipeline on 4 February.

The Russian-British TNK-BP proposes a reverse use of the pipeline [to pump
Russian oil from Brody to Odessa]. Meanwhile, the USA, the EU, Poland and a
range of European states support the direct use [pumping Caspian oil from
Odessa to Brody and then to Poland]. (END) (ARTUIS)
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 19: ARTICLE NUMBER SEVEN
=========================================================
7. POLISH BUSINESSMEN IN UKRAINE CALL FOR HELP
AGAINST UKRAINIAN COURTS AND OFFICIALS IN LVOV

Polish News Bulletin; Warsaw, Poland, Feb 03, 2004

LVOV........Two Polish entrepreneurs doing business in Ukraine are in
serious trouble and today intend to call a press conference during which
they will request that the Polish authorities take steps to defend them.

Jerzy Konik and Jerzy Nowacki, majority shareholders in the Magnus shopping
centre in Lvov, are also planning to turn to the Polish and Ukrainian
Presidents for support for Polish businessmen who are chicaned by Ukrainian
courts and administrative officials. "Our example shows how easy it is to
lose control over one's company because of a false verdict given by a
court," says Jerzy Konik.

On 24 January a Ukrainian court officer arrived at Magnus with an
anti-terrorist group and seized the company's offices and documents. This
was done at the request of Magnus's minority shareholder, the Ukrainian ZAT
LCU, whose president Jurij Kawecki is, according to Konik, well known to
Lvov's law enforcement officers. The city's vice-governor has promised to
look into the case thoroughly. (END) (ARTUIS)
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 19: ARTICLE NUMBER EIGHT
=========================================================
8. RUSSIA AND UKRAINE: MOVING TOWARD EUROPE TOGETHER

Raisa Zubova, Russian Information Agency (RIA) Novosti, Jan 28, 2004

In late January, President Vladimir Putin made his last working visit to
Ukraine before the March 14 presidential elections in Russia. For the final
foreign trip of his term, Mr. Putin spent two days in the Ukrainian
capital, Kiev. This was symbolic, as Russia's relations with Ukraine are an
unconditional priority for political analysts and ordinary people in both
countries. Visits like the one Mr. Putin took to Kiev can make an
impression on Russian voters.

Officially, Mr. Putin visited Kiev to attend the closing ceremony of the
"Year of Russia in Ukraine." The visit appeared to be more friendly than
businesslike, as the focus seemed to be on the festivities, receptions and
shows. However, discussions of urgent political problems, of which there
are many, were not pushed into the background.

The 350th anniversary of the Pereyaslavl Rada (council), which united
Russia and Ukraine, was observed during the visit. In the Soviet-era this
anniversary was widely celebrated, but today Ukrainian and Russian
politicians downplay the anniversary. The political situation in Ukraine is
not favorable to Russian attempts to promote friendship. The nationalist
opposition in Ukraine is nervous and responds to any attempt as an
"imperial relapse" in Moscow's policy.

Recently, Russian and Ukrainian leadership have discussed a common economic
area. The opposition strongly opposes the creation of a common economic
area because they view it as an attempt to undermine Ukraine's independence
and hinder its relations with the West. Therefore, Moscow tries not to
remind the Ukrainian politicians about the Pereyaslavl Rada time and again.

"For Ukraine the way to Europe lies through Russia, and Russian-Ukrainian
rapprochement is a key issue in the development of the two countries," said
Vyacheslav Igrunov, head of the Russia-Ukraine Council. Russia and Ukraine
are being pushed toward cooperation and dialogue by the economic processes
that bound their economies during the Soviet-era. In 2003, trade between
the two countries increased by 30% and the recent trade wars over sugar,
pipelines and cars died down. Ukraine and Russia have begun to consult each
other about joining the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Two acute economic problems between Russia and Ukraine persisted in 2003:
transit of Russian hydrocarbons across Ukraine and the terms of using the
Sea of Azov's resources.

The problem connected with the transportation of Russian gas to Europe and
Ukraine's huge debt for gas to Russia has for a long time caused many
difficulties in Russian-Ukrainian relations. Kiev owed Moscow a large
amount of money for Russian gas. Also, gas from Russian pipelines was being
stolen in Ukraine. Ultimately, Kiev and Moscow reached an agreement and
established a joint Russian-Ukrainian-German consortium that would manage
Ukraine's gas transportation system.

In the agreement, Russia was guaranteed an unhindered gas supply to Europe,
and Ukraine would be offered large investments in its energy industry such
as repair, development and new technology for its pipelines. An
understanding has been reached in principle, but carrying out the agreement
has been delayed. Both sides claim that the difficulties are technical, but
observers believe the consortium has stalled because the political
situation in Ukraine, where presidential elections are to be held in fall,
is uncertain.

There is a similar situation in oil transportation. Moscow is prepared to
sign a 15-year agreement on transporting Russian oil across Ukraine and is
waiting for Kiev's consent to use the Ukrainian Odessa-Brody pipeline,
which is currently idle. Such an agreement would be lucrative for Ukraine,
but the local opposition was alarmed that the Russian electrical monopoly
Unified Energy Systems bought big portions of ten Ukrainian regional
electrical companies. The opposition to President Kuchma may not support
the deal.

Last year, Russia and Ukraine agreed in principle to regard the Sea of Azov
as an internal sea and jointly use its resources. However, according to
experts, this decision will take more than a year to go into effect.

After his visit to Ukraine, President Putin instructed the government to
"speed up the work to bring about a ratification of the accords on the
Azov-Kerch zone in the two houses of the Russian parliament and on
establishing a common economic area." Russian business and capital will
inevitably invest in Ukraine, and this will not be harmful for either
Russia or Ukraine. (END) (ARTUIS)
=========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 19: ARTICLE NUMBER NINE
=========================================================
9. "LET'S STOP AIDS" UKRAINIAN ANTI-AIDS CAMPAIGN

PRESS RELEASE, Elena Franchuk Foundation "ANTI-AIDS"
Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, January 15, 2004

KYIV........The Elena Franchuk Anti-AIDS Foundation and a group of
Ukrainian media companies have joined together to launch the "Let's Stop
AIDS" campaign.

This is the first national, educational media campaign in Ukraine to address
HIV/AIDS issues. It is also the first initiative of its kind organized by
private individuals.

"Let's Stop AIDS" campaign was launched in November 2003 in cooperation with
International Commercial Television (ICTV) and a founding group of media
sponsors, including -- Novy Kanal, STB and M1 music channel. Inter and 1+1
channels have also joined the effort. Together these broadcasters reach over
90% of the Ukrainian television viewing public.

The media companies have committed to at least one year of media placements
for public service announcements, to incorporating awareness of HIV/AIDS
issues in ongoing programming and to providing media support for charitable
and educational events.

The Foundation aims 1) to draw attention to the problem of HIV/AIDS by
conducting informational and educational campaigns and 2) to raise funds to
finance projects on HIV/AIDS prevention, care, as well as eradication of the
stigma and discrimination facing HIV/AIDS infected people.

In 2004, the foundation will expand the scope of the media campaign with
additional television and print advertising. It will continue to organize
events that raise awareness and funds to help the most vulnerable groups.
The foundation's first charity fundraiser was a concert held at the National
Opera of Ukraine on December 12, 2003 featuring U.S. soprano Jessie
Norman and Russian conductor Vladimir Spivakov.

The concert raised over $200,000USD to benefit orphans living with HIV/AIDS.
The foundation is also actively soliciting video-messages of support from
world leaders and celebrities active in the global anti-AIDS fight.

HIV-infection is growing rapidly in the Eastern Europe/Central Asia region.
The World Health Organization estimates about ½ million people in Ukraine
are currently HIV-infected - 1% of the adult population or one in every
hundred persons.

For detailed information, please contact Ms. Maria Figueroa Küpçü (USA) Tel:
+1 (917) 916-8187 or Mr. Andrey Grishenko (Ukraine) Tel: +38 (044) 490-4805.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Elena Franchuk Foundation "ANTI-AIDS" press release
above is posted on the website of the TPAA - Transatlantic Partners Against
AIDS. Elena Franchuk is a member of the board of directors of TPAA. Elena
is the wife of Viktor Pinchuk, owner of ICTV in Ukraine, and the daughter of
Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma. The Elena Franchuk Foundation "Anti-AIDS"
is a partner in TPAA's initiatives in Ukraine. John E. Tedstrom is the
president of TPAA. LINK: http://www.tpaa.net/events_011504_prelease_ef.html
==========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 19: ARTICLE NUMBER TEN
==========================================================
10. EUROPE'S FIRST WARNING

By Viktor Zamyatin, The Day Weekly Digest in English
Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, February 3, 2004

Last week Ukraine received from Europe its first real warning in recent
years, which augurs major losses for Ukraine. This was in spite of the fact
that negotiations on the Ukraine-EU Action Plan finally began early last
week. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has issued
a sharply worded resolution on Ukraine followed by a statement from Ireland
on behalf of the EU. Both organizations have voiced concern over attempts to
amend Ukraine's Constitution half a year before the presidential elections
and questioned the transparency and fairness of presidential elections under
such conditions, calling on the Ukrainian leadership to respect its own
Constitution.

PACE has recommended appointing a special envoy for Ukraine and is
considering putting the question of suspending Ukraine's membership in the
Council of Europe back on the agenda. Ukraine is urged to react in a
positive way to the conclusions of the Venetian Commission of the Council
of Europe on the bills on Constitutional amendments in Ukraine.

Under such conditions one can pass oneself off as a saint all one wants,
complain that Europe does not want to embrace us, accuse European
institutions of applying double standards and the opposition of foul play.
Yet the country's reputation would not have suffered a major blow -
self-inflicted for the most part - if someone had not been "playing with the
rules."

Over a year and a half ago EU High Commissioner for Foreign and
Security Policy Javier Solana called on Kyiv to "play by the rules" and stop
"playing with the rules." Moreover, the PACE resolution states clearly that
in joining the Council of Europe Ukraine has undertaken certain commitments,
which it should honor.

For this reason, the resolution calls the statement by Ukraine's Foreign
Ministry on "interference in Ukraine's domestic affairs" by the PACE
Monitoring Committee rapporteurs unfounded and unjustified. Incidentally,
during Kuchma's second term in office the Ukrainian leadership has not made
similar statements with respect to Russia, even though it has had ample
reason to do so.

Meeting one's commitments has always been a weak spot for those in power in
Ukraine. Suffice it to recall the prolonged debate with PACE on banning the
death penalty. Recall the arguments put forward by the then Ukrainian
leadership. The question of stripping Ukraine's delegation of its vote and
suspending Ukraine's membership in the Council of Europe was raised then,
but apparently this time everything is much more serious. Of the thirty
critical remarks prepared by the Ukrainian delegation only one has been
taken into account.

That Ukraine's Foreign Minister Kostiantyn Hryshchenko - who planned to
attend the Ukrainian-Polish consultations on European Integration instead -
and his first deputy Oleksandr Chaly joined the Ukrainian delegation did not
help matters. The arguments advanced by the majority representatives and
Communists did not particularly impress anyone.

Allegations that the opposition is to blame for obstructing normal work in
Verkhovna Rada fell on deaf ears. Moreover, one clause of the PACE
resolution expresses "disappointment over for the measures to which the
opposition resorted to obstruct the usual work in the parliament."

One can say for a fact that representatives of the West do not understand or
know the specifics of Ukrainian politics, this being a popular argument in
Kyiv. Yet this is not the reason why Kyiv faces problems where no problems
should have arisen a priori.

The PACE resolution and statement from Ireland on behalf of the EU (also
signed by prospective EU members Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Norway, and Liechtenstein) not only appear to be timed to
coincide but also express a common view of the problem. This view, to put it
bluntly, conveys extreme distrust of the current Ukrainian ruling elite.

This distrust has been accumulating for years, and although the Ukrainian
opposition's recent appeal to the Council of Europe structures did the
trick, it was more a catalyst than a direct cause of the resolution.

What is much worse is the fact that only sixty deputies attended the PACE
session addressing the so-called Ukrainian question, which could be evidence
of Europe's waning interest in Ukraine. Worse still, they did not overlook
the fact that participants of the political game in Ukraine have apparently
decided to exclude the Ukrainian people from this game.

At least the signal from the EU is evidence of Europe's interest in the
events unfolding along its borders. The bottom line of the statement is that
any rapprochement can be discussed only after Ukraine passes a test, which
will certainly not be viewed as Ukraine's domestic affairs anymore.

Understandably, if Kyiv waited for some signal from the EU then it was
definitely not this kind of signal. This is not and cannot be considered a
failure of Ukraine's diplomacy. A country's foreign policy cannot be more
successful than the country's overall development, and in this case
diplomacy becomes the hostage of domestic affairs.

If the diplomats attempt to explain to their Western partners that Ukraine's
declared course toward NATO and the EU in fact remains unchanged but this
is not happening, then perhaps the problem is the real orientation of the
course itself and the difference between words and deeds. As a result, the
prospects of another wave of international isolation are not all that
unrealistic.

Ukraine cannot afford to miss a step in its dialog with NATO. However,
Ukraine's hopes of joining the Membership Action Plan can now materialize
perhaps only at the summit following the forthcoming NATO Istanbul Summit at
best. It is unlikely that work on the Ukraine-EU Action Plan will be
suspended, yet the general climate could have been more favorable. The US
will follow events in Ukraine with as much attention as the EU and Council
of Europe. Ukraine's progress toward both NATO and the WTO will largely
depend on the stand taken by the US. Thus, Ukraine's losses could outweigh
gains.

That the participants of the political process in Ukraine are urged to solve
their problems peacefully can hardly be seen as evidence of the maturity and
dignity of the state. Ukraine's chances to be received in the world the
proper way, which have never been very high, will now decrease with each
unsuccessful or incomprehensible step taken in the domestic realm. On the
other hand, examples of Slovakia and Croatia suggest that changing political
course at the right time is neither a tragedy, nor an impossible thing to
do, but simply a norm. (END) (ARTUIS)
==========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 19: ARTICLE NUMBER ELEVEN
==========================================================
11. RUSSIA TO GIVE BACK SEVEN FRESCOES TO UKRAINE

ITAR-TASS, Moscow, Russia, Feb. 1, 2004

KIEV, -- The Russian Culture Ministry has decided to transfer [give
back] seven frescoes of the St. Michael Golden Domes Cathedral in
Kiev to Ukraine.

The frescoes were taken away to Germany during the Second World War,
and brought to the Russian Hermitage Fine Arts Museum later. "The
frescoes will soon be delivered to Kiev and exhibited at the St. Michael
Golden Domes Cathedral," Ukrainian Culture Minister Yuri Bogutsky
said on Sunday.

Russia transferred four fragments of frescoes dating back to the 12th
century to the St. Michael Cathedral in February 2001.

A grandson of Yaroslav the Wise, Kiev Prince Svyatopolk
Izyaslavovich, established the St. Michael Golden Domes Monastery in
1108. It was one of the biggest monasteries of ancient Kiev.

The St. Michael Golden Domes Cathedral and some of the Monastery
buildings were demolished in 1934-1936 [in a monumental act of historical
and cultural destruction by the anti-church Soviets] for building a [Soviet]
governmental center instead [present Ministry of Foreign Affairs building].

Mosaics and frescoes were removed before the Cathedral destruction.
The mosaics and frescoes are currently stored in the Sofia Cathedral in
Kiev, the Russian Museum and the Hermitage Fine Arts Museum in
St. Petersburg and the Tretyakov Fine Arts Gallery in Moscow.

The St. Michael Golden Domes Cathedral was reconstructed in the end
of the 1990s. (END) (ARTUIS)
==========================================================
UKRAINE REPORT-2004, No. 19: ARTICLE NUMBER TWELVE
==========================================================
12. 950TH ANNIVERSARY OF 'YAROSLAV THE WISE'S' DEATH

Ukrainian News, Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, February 3, 2004

KYIV........President Leonid Kuchma has directed the Cabinet of Ministers
and local authorities to hold activities connected with the 950th
anniversary of the death of the Prince of Rus, Yaroslav the Wise. The
presidential press service disclosed this to Ukrainian News with reference
to the corresponding directive.

Kuchma directed the Cabinet of Ministers, the Kyiv city state
administration, and regional state administrations to hold in February in
Kyiv activities on honoring the memory of Yaroslav as well as connected
with his life and activity.

The State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting was directed to
ensure wide coverage in the mass media of these activities and to organize a
circle of television and radio broadcasts devoted to the activity of Prince
Yaroslav.

Yaroslav the Wise died on the night of February 20, 1054. The eminent
statesman of Rus created the first written collection of laws and written
statutory law. Under him the Sofiivskyi Cathedral was built in Kyiv and the
first libraries were founded. (END) (ARTUIS)
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