CEEC groups confer with Rep. Bonior (06/09/96)

CEEC groups confer with Rep. Bonior

by Eugene M. Iwanciw

WASHINGTON - The Central and East European Coalition (CEEC) on May 14 met with House Minority Whip David Bonior (D-Mich.), the second ranking Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Present at the meeting were: Michael Sawkiw (Ukrainian Congress Committee of America), Tim Jemal (Armenian Assembly of America), Radi Slavoff (Bulgarian Institute for Research and Analysis), Frank Koszorus (Hungarian American Coalition), Laszlo Pasztor and Leslie Megyeri (National Federation of American Hungarians), John Karch (Slovak World Congress) and this writer (Ukrainian National Association).

The delegation thanked Rep. Bonior for his support and assistance on issues of concern to Americans who trace their heritage to Central and Eastern Europe. They noted that the congressman has been a long-time friend to these communities.

The CEEC groups informed Rep. Bonior that they support the expansion of NATO into Central and Eastern Europe. Noting the meeting the CEEC had with President Bill Clinton in February, the delegation expressed its concern about progress in naming the first countries to be eligible for NATO membership or a definite timetable for expansion. Stating that they understood that all the countries in the region would not be eligible at the same time, delegation members stressed the need to establish a procedure and criteria, and to accept new members as they met that standard. Rep. Bonior expressed his support for NATO, vowing to add his voice to that of many of his colleagues for expansion.

The CEEC delegation also addressed the issue of foreign assistance. They noted their disappointment with the administration's failure to request higher levels of assistance for the Support for Eastern European Democracies (SEED) Act and the Freedom Support Act (FSA). The CEEC noted that it is in U.S. national security interests to consolidate the victory of the Cold War and noted the congressional cuts in the programs the previous year. Rep. Bonior agreed that U.S. assistance to the region could be critical in consolidating democracy, free markets and the independence of the nations.

The CEEC also drew the Michigan legislator's attention to the exclusion, by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), of ethnic American organizations in the development and implementation of programs in Central and Eastern Europe. The Minority Whip was visibly shocked that USAID pursues such an exclusionary program and pledged to look into the issue.

The meeting concluded with Rep. Bonior's commitment to continue working with the coalition on the critical issues facing U.S. policy for the region. Thanking the congressman, again, for his strong support over the years, the delegation vowed to continue providing him with information and working with him. They also noted the assistance that his legislative assistant Scott Paul, who was in attendance, has provided to the Central and East European Coalition and its constituent members.

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