Ukrainian community welcomes new ambassador to the U.N. (03/15/98)

Ukrainian community welcomes new ambassador to the U.N.

by Helen Smindak

NEW YORK - Ukraine's new permanent representative to the United Nations, Volodymyr Yurievych Yelchenko, believes Ukraine has accomplished major objectives in its recent foreign policy, and he deems the election of Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Hennadii Udovenko as president of the U.N. General Assembly's 52nd session to be extremely significant - not only for Mr. Udovenko and the Ukrainian Mission to the U.N., (which Mr. Udovenko headed for seven years) - but for Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the country's international prestige as well.

Mr. Yelchenko also agrees with President Leonid Kuchma that, despite many complexities, there are "sufficiently perceptible reasons" to affirm that 1998 will bring a stabilization of production in Ukraine and a stronger straightforward approach to the country's economic growth.

Mr. Yelchenko made these statements at the Ukrainian National Home on February 22, during an informal dinner given by the Ukrainian community to greet and honor him as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Ukraine.

With Mr. Yelchenko at the dinner were his wife, Iryna, and four other Ukrainian officials and their spouses: Yuriy Bohaievsky, deputy permanent representative of Ukraine to the U.N., and Olha Bohaievsky; Col. Vasyl Sydorenko, first secretary and military adviser of the Mission, and Mariya Sydorenko; Ilia Oliinyk, consul of the Consulate General of Ukraine in New York, and Olena Oliinyk; and Bohdan Yaremenko, vice-consul of the Consulate General, and Victoria Yaremenko.

Although the major portion of Mr. Yelchenko's address was devoted to the work of Ukraine's Permanent Mission to the U.N., he touched on events back home and Ukraine's foreign affairs.

Commenting on the upcoming parliamentary elections, he said that he expected that the Ukrainian people will vote for "the continued growth and strengthening of democracy" and noted that if people such as Mr. Udovenko, a candidate of the Rukh Party, enter Parliament, "I expect that we will have every reason for optimism concerning the future of our nation."

On the topic of Ukraine's foreign relations, Mr. Yelchenko said thatUkraine has achieved lasting success regarding recognition of its territorial integrity and inviolability of its state borders. Several key events were necessary for this to come about: the signing of proper agreements with neighboring countries, the signing of the Charter for a Distinctive Partnership between Ukraine and NATO, advancement toward membership in the European Union, participation in peacekeeping operations on the territory of the former Yugoslavia under the aegis of the U.N. and NATO, and the initiation of new forms of multilateral cooperation (Ukraine-Romania-Moldova; Ukraine-Poland-Romania; Ukraine-Poland-Latvia; Georgia-Ukraine-Azerbaijan-Moldova).

Ambassador Yelchenko said Mr. Udovenko's presidency of the General Assembly comes at a time when the United Nations seeks to increase the effectiveness of its activity in the world, and Ukraine's national interests have been furthered by Mr. Udovenko's position at the helm of the General Assembly.

From mid-September to the end of December, Mr. Udovenko held over 300 meetings with representatives of member-states, specifically, all nations of the Group of Seven, the European Union, NATO, influential countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America, and heads of leading international organizations.

Ambassador Yelchenko noted that the election of a Ukrainian to such a high position at the U.N. has favored the development of regional cooperation and discussion of Ukraine's integration into European structures. In accordance with U.N. tradition, Mr. Udovenko has met with all participants of high-level general debates; within that framework presentations were made by 18 state heads, 14 government leaders, 16 vice-prime ministers and 111 ministers of foreign affairs.

Members of the world community approved the selection of a Ukrainian to the presidency of the General Assembly, which Ambassador Yelchenko pointed to as testimony to "the important role that our state will play in the United Nations and in international relations in general."

Mr. Yelchenko said that much work still needs to be done by the Ukrainian representation at the U.N. during the General Assembly's present session, including the creation of favorable conditions for Ukraine's election to the Security Council as a non-permanent member for the years 2000-2001, which will be voted on during the General Assembly's 54th session. Ukraine has been a non-permanent member of the Security Council twice before - in 1948-1949 and 1984-1985 - years when the possibilities for independent activity on the part of Ukrainian diplomats were restricted, Ambassador Yelchenko stated.

"Despite the specifics of Ukraine's international activity in that period, her diplomatic corps gained useful experience, that is being used today to develop an independent foreign policy with great success," he declared.

Mr. Yelchenko lauded the United Nations as "the sole rostrum from which the world received information about the Ukrainian people, its history and rich culture" from the beginning of Ukraine's membership in the U.N. on March 24, 1958, until the rebirth of its independence in 1991.

At the time of Ukraine's independence, the rapid recognition of Ukraine and the establishment of diplomatic relations with dozens of states, were made possible because of the country's permanent representation at the U.N. he said.

Mr. Yelchenko referred with respect to "those who had the honor to head the Ukrainian Mission for 40 years, and also "bowed with deep gratitude" to the representatives of the Ukrainian community in the U.S., his audience.

"Your support gives us an additional impetus in our difficult but extraordinarily important activity," Ambassador Yelchenko told his listeners. "I would like to recognize your activity in non-governmental organizations and your assistance to visiting delegations from Ukraine. Although we sometimes hear criticism from you with which we cannot fully agree, we understand they are motivated by your concern and your heartfelt consideration of Ukraine's further destiny. For us, this is most important."

He concluded: "Let's continue to understand each other well, to work together as a team and to get together simply to unite in the good company of friends."

The community's welcome to the new ambassador included addresses by Askold Lozynskyj, president, Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, and Andrew Lastowecky, director, Ukrainian National Home. Mr. Lastowecky also extended greetings from the president of the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council, Ulana Diachuk, who could not be present.

A brief biography: Volodymyr Yelchenko, Ukraine's envoy to the U.N.