Albright grants certification to Ukraine (02/21/99)

Albright grants certification to Ukraine

by Yaro Bihun
Special to The Ukrainian Weekly

WASHINGTON - Ukraine has once again passed muster and will receive the full measure of the $195 million in economic assistance allocated by the U.S. for 1999.

As she did in 1998, Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright reported to Congress on February 18 that Ukraine had made "sufficient progress" in reforming its economy and in resolving some of the complaints of U.S. investors in Ukraine. Had Ms. Albright not made a positive finding on Ukraine, according to legislation Congress passed last year, it would have lost about $72 million of the earmarked funds.

A statement delivered n February 19 by State Department Deputy Spokesman James B. Foley added, however, that the administration and the Congress "remain very concerned about the uneven pace of reform and the difficult investment climate in Ukraine" and continue to urge Ukraine "to accelerate the market reform process and improve the climate for foreign investors by resolving remaining disputes."

The U.S. government "places a high priority on Ukraine's success as a market, democratic state fully integrated into the Euro-Atlantic community ... [and] will remain actively engaged with Ukraine to push this reform agenda, including resolving outstanding U.S. investor complaints," the statement noted.

Representatives of the two Ukrainian American national organizations with offices in Washington welcomed the news.

Michael Sawkiw Jr., director of the Ukrainian National Information Service of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, cautioned, however, that a positive certification report does not mean Ukraine "is off the hook." It must continue to resolve investor disputes, he added.

Mr. Sawkiw said the Ukrainian community and their friends in Congress now should strive to ensure that a certification clause is not inserted in future aid earmarks for Ukraine. "Going through this two times in two years is enough already," he added.

Ihor Gawdiak, president of the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council, also stressed the need to end the certification process or, at least, ensure that the provision includes a "national security rider" allowing the president to overturn a determination on grounds of national security.

"At issue is the overall relationship between the United States and Ukraine, because if you allow a relatively minor misunderstanding - and that involves nine American companies out of hundreds of companies - to totally wreck our relationship, then there is something wrong with this," Mr. Gawdiak said.

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