Ukraine's nuclear arms negotiator pleased with progress on security

by Borys Klymenko

KYYIV - Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister Borys Tarasiuk told reporters that his delegation felt no pressure while meeting with U.S. government officials on START ratification in Washington, on January 5-7.

"And, even if this looked like pressure, our delegation did not come there to be lectured; we came to conduct consultations. I should say that no pressure was exerted. In contradiction to what was reported in the mass media - both in Washington and in Moscow - which reported that we would meet defeat in Washington, I should disappoint Moscow journalists and report that we suffered no setbacks in Washington.

"Moreover, we are entirely pleased with these consultations; we have finally cleared up the question of national security guarantees for Ukraine from the United States, as well as from other nuclear states," Mr. Tarasiuk said.

The top Ukrainian nuclear arms negotiator said the Ukrainian delegation witnessed some inaccurate reporting on the part of the Washington media. He cited Don Oberdorfer, a staff writer for The Washington Post, who after the first day of consultations, reported the U.S. administration had discarded all of Ukraine's demands. "I should add, that this information, given by a senior U.S. government official who asked not to be identified, was a serious topic of discussion at the following day's talks.

"As a result, Richard Boucher, a press secretary for the U.S. State Department, issued a statement, which reported that the government of Ukraine did not present any new demands, nor did the United States reject any demands," Mr. Tarasiuk said.

Upon Mr. Tarasiuk's return from Washington, Ukrainian Television, quoting from The Washington Post, aired a report that the United States would aid Ukraine in securing guarantees from the United Nations Security Council.

Commenting on this, Mr. Tarasiuk said: "We are interested in guarantees from nuclear states, first of all. If these guarantees are additionally endorsed by all the members of the Security Council, and even further by other existing international organizations - political, military-political, then I think we will not be opposed to this."

Mr. Tarasiuk refused to comment on the draft proposal about security guarantees drawn up in Russia, which was presented in Kyyiv on January 13, stating only that it differs from the U.S. proposal. He added that while it is being studied, he does not wish to talk about it. However, he did not deny the possibility that this proposal would be discussed at the meeting between Ukraine's President Leonid Kravchuk and Russian Federation President Boris Yeltsin scheduled for January 15 in Moscow.

Meanwhile, Moscow's leading newspaper, Izvestia, took on a familiar tone, writing on January 2: "In Kyyiv, they should finally understand that the world community will never agree to examine guarantees of collective security in the sphere of nuclear weapons. And, the demands of one subject of international law will not be granted special status."

Ukraine's minister of defense, Col. Gen. Konstantyn Morozov, who has come under criticism of one-third of the Ukrainian Parliament, which has accused him of building a "Petliurite-Banderite" Ukrainian army, has demonstrated Ukraine's firm stand on the nuclear arms issue.

In discussing the draft proposal between Ukraine and Russia regarding strategic nuclear arms, he commented: "The proposed document reflects wishful thinking on Moscow's part, and once again, it puts Ukraine's steadfastness regarding the presence of nuclear weapons on its territory to the test. Ukraine's policy considers the nation's interests and does not take into account whether or not they coincide with those of the Moscow dreamers," he concluded.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 17, 1993, No. 3, Vol. LXI

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