NEWSBRIEFS (09/14/97)

NEWSBRIEFS

Kuchma set for leading role in region

VILNIUS - An international conference for co-existence and good-neighborly relations was held here, hosted by Lithuania's President Algirdas Brazauskas on September 5-6. Ten East European presidents and Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin attended the conference aimed at showing that the region, so often a place of conflict and tragedy in the past, is no longer a source of instability. During the conference, President Kuchma met with Bulgaria's President Pyotr Stoyanov and the two agreed to develop cooperation in tourism, trade and transport. Mr. Stoyanov invited Mr. Kuchma to visit Bulgaria in 1998. Addressing the conference, Mr. Kuchma proposed holding a summit of leaders of Baltic and Black Sea countries in Ukraine in 1999. He added that the summit may see the signing of "an agreement on partnership, which would provide a code of behavior for countries of the region." President Kuchma also reported that he met with Mr. Chernomyrdin and discussed implementation of the Ukrainian-Russian agreement on friendship and cooperation. Several problems still remain, including a value-added tax (VAT) on Ukrainian exports to Russia, which Mr. Kuchma called an "obstacle in the way of cooperation between the two countries." ( Eastern Economist; Reuters)

Kushnariov takes part in celebrations

MOSCOW - Ukraine's official delegation headed by President Leonid's Kuchma's chief-of-staff, Yevhen Kushnariov, left for Moscow on September 5 to participate in celebrations of the city's 850th anniversary. A delegation headed by Kyiv Mayor Oleksander Omelchenko left for Moscow to participate in the commemoration as well. The city of Kyiv celebrated its 1,500th anniversary in 1982. (UNIAN, Eastern Economist)

Decree is to simplify business registration

KYIV - The National Agency for Reconstruction and Development (NARD) announced on September 8 that a presidential decree on registration of entrepreneurship bodies had been prepared. According to NARD, the decree will simplify bureaucratic procedures for setting up new enterprises, including enterprises with foreign investment. A sole state registration body, to which all the relevant documents will be submitted, will register all enterprises. Along with regulating the registration process itself, the decree contains items dealing with changes to data included on the registration card and outlining procedures for closing down an enterprise. The change in procedure is intended to decrease corruption and encourage business development by simplifying regulations. (UNIAN, Eastern Economist)

Revolutionary plastic card introduced

HORLIVKA - The Horlivka branch of the First Ukrainian International Bank has opened its first automatic cash machine using Cirrus Maestro plastic cards that are recognized worldwide. The bank is planning to introduce several more machines in the coming months. Branch director Ruslan Rudyh said, "This is the first Ukrainian plastic card adapted to the European system," and added that in two to three years' time Ukrainian citizens who have a hryvnia account with the First Ukrainian International Bank will be able to use their cards in other European countries. A similar project is shortly to be implemented in Mariupol. (UNIAN, Eastern Economist)

AvtoZAZ JV dependent on law's adoption

ZAPORIZHIA - At a recent press conference, it was announced that the Zaporizhia joint venture (JV) AvtoZAZ will produce five car models a modernized Tavria, three Daewoo models - the small Lanos, medium-sized Nubira and Leganza - and the Opel Astra, which is manufactured by General Motors. By the year 2000, production is expected to reach 130,000 cars a year, and in 10 years' time - 250,000 to 300,000. However, press conference participants noted that the process of creating the JV was being impeded by the fact that Ukraine's Parliament still had not passed a law on automobile production in Ukraine. AvtoZAZ Deputy General Director Mykola Lastovetskyi said the law would allow Ukraine's car-building sector to be preserved and would provide about 500,000 jobs. "If the law is not passed, the JV will not be set up," Mr. Lastovetskyi warned. Daewoo Ukraine president Li Pin Cho said that if the law was passed the plant would start production by the end of the year. He pointed out that implementation of the joint project between AvtoZAZ and Daewoo would provide Ukraine with modern, inexpensive cars. He said half the cars produced by the JV would be distributed in different regions of the world through Daewoo's international network. (UNIAN, Eastern Economist)

Kuchma visit to Moscow announced

KYIV - President Leonid Kuchma and Russian President Boris Yeltsin re-affirmed their commitment towards fully implementing a package of bilateral agreements signed in May during a telephone conversation on September 4. Mr. Kuchma announced that he will make an official visit to Moscow in January 1998. (Eastern Economist)

AP office robbed of unique photo archive

KYIV - During the night of September 3, the Kyiv office of the Associated Press news agency was robbed. The culprit reportedly gained access through a window. "The losses are huge - and run into thousands of dollars," AP photo-correspondent Efrem Lukatsky said. Though nearly all the office equipment was stolen, Mr. Lukatsky pointed out that the greatest loss is the photo archive, accumulated over the last six years of Ukrainian independence, since no similar archive exists in Ukraine. (Vseukrainskiye Vyedomosti, Eastern Economist)

Final harvest coming in

KYIV - The 1997 harvesting season is almost complete. This year saw the harvesting of 27.6 million tons of wheat, an increase over 1996, a year of very poor harvest, yet still short of the 37 million tons predicted earlier this season by Prime Minister Valerii Pustovoitenko, and the 35 million tons predicted by agriculture experts. This year more acreage was sown, and this led to an increase in average productivity. (UNIAN, Eastern Economist)

Belarus plans to sign charter with NATO

MIENSK - Belarusian Foreign Minister Ivan Antanovich announced on September 8 that Belarus intends to sign a charter with NATO, despite Miensk's negative stance toward the eastward expansion of the alliance. Mr. Antanovich said the document will be similar to the cooperation charters that Russia and Ukraine concluded with NATO. According to Mr. Antanovich, the charter provides NATO security assurances for Belarus. He said Belarus will take into account its relations with NATO when it plans its defense policy. The charter will be discussed during a visit to Miensk by NATO Secretary General Javier Solana scheduled for October 23-24. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Nuclear safety conference held

ODESA - An international conference on nuclear safety and security began here on September 8, to discuss, among other topics, international cooperation in nuclear safety. Experts and representatives of several large Western firms, several countries, five Ukrainian nuclear plants, the Energoatom company, and Ukrainian government officials attended. Up to 48 percent of Ukraine's electricity is produced by nuclear plants. The conference was organized by the Ukrainian Nuclear Association. (RFE/RL Newsline)

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