Belarusian president arrives in Ukraine amid protests by pro-democracy groups (05/18/97)

Belarusian president arrives in Ukraine amid protests by pro-democracy groups

by Roman Woronowycz
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - Belarusian President Alyaksander Lukashenka arrived for his first official visit to Ukraine on May12 amid protests and demonstrations staged by pro-democracy groups. He reaffirmed that he would like to see Ukraine join Russia and Belarus in an economic union.

Hundreds of people, principally members of the Popular Movement Rukh, congregated at Boryspil Airport and along the road into the city to voice their displeasure with the Belarusian president's strong-arm tactics in Belarus, where he has dismissed the Supreme Court and essentially made the country's Parliament his puppet while suppressing human rights and arresting hundreds of dissidents.

Mr. Lukashenka said upon his arrival that he would like to see more open trade between his country and Ukraine. He said that eventually a "common customs space" would emrge.

Protesters were also present at the Mariinskyi Palace on May 13 as Mr. Lukashenka met with President Leonid Kuchma. While the two presidents discussed the delineation of borders between their countries, an increase in trade and their views on the expansion of NATO, demonstrators outside shouted "Lukashenka - dictator" and "fascist get out."

They were led by leader of the Rukh, Vyacheslav Chornovil, who has been sharply critical of the meeting between Presidents Lukashenka and Kuchma.

Mr. Lukashenka told reporters afterwards that he beleives the biggest problem between the two countries is in removing the obstacles that hold up free trade. "We must form an open regime for trade, and I am sure that Ukraine and Belarus will have a unified customs space in the future," said the Belarusian president.

He also said he ultimately foresees Ukraine joining the Russian-Belarusian union. He said it would be "a Ukrainian decision," and tried to assure Ukrainians that all countries would retain their sovereignty and independence. "We should not fear it," he said.

Although the Belarusian president eventually wants a union, he left Ukraine with a border agreement, and that was what Ukraine wanted. The agreement topographically specifies the border between the two countries and delineates customs points. President Kuchma called the discussions "neither very easy, nor very difficult." He said, "the delineation of our 1,200 kilometer border without firing a shot demonstrates that we met each other half way."

Mr. Kuchma also announced that work had progressed on resolution of a $217 million debt that Belarus says it is owed.

The Ukrainian government refused to comment on the human rights abuses that have been recorded in Belarus since Mr. Lukashenka began cracking down on pro-democracy forces in his country. "Belarus has a sovereign right to form internal policy in the country," Vice Prime Minister Vasyl Durdynets told the Associated Press.

But Mr. Chornovil, speaking outside the Mariinskyi Palace, had other thoughts. "Our leaders seem to sympathize with communism and fascism," he said.

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