ACTION ITEM

Senate resolution on Ukraine's 10th anniversary

On August 24, Ukraine will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its independence, a great achievement of the Ukrainian people after centuries of foreign occupation and a long struggle for freedom. It is extremely important that the United States show interest and involvement in the fate of Ukraine by congratulating the Ukrainian people on this milestone.

In the last week before the traditional August recess of the U.S. Congress, a resolution commemorating the 10th anniversary of Ukraine's independence will be introduced in the Senate. It is imperative that Ukrainian community members contact their senators to request their support for the Senate resolution. The Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS) is appealing to Ukrainian Americans to write/fax/call their senator's office to support the concurrent resolution marking Ukraine's independence anniversary.

By congratulating Ukraine on its first decade of independence, the United States will acknowledge the importance of Ukraine to American national security and demonstrate the U.S. government's desire to remain involved in Ukraine's development. The resolution will also confirm America's desire to help Ukraine continue on its course of full integration into Europe and the Western world. The United States, as the leader of democratic nations worldwide, needs to encourage young Ukraine to persevere on the road to democratization and free markets.

For your convenience, please use the sample letter below prepared by UNIS, or create your own. For further information contact Michael Sawkiw Jr., president of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), or Serhiy Zhykharev, director of Congressional Relations at the Ukrainian National Information Service, at (202) 547-0018.

- submitted by the Ukrainian National Information Service, Washington

* * *

The Honorable (Name)
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator (Last Name):

As a constituent in your state, I am writing to inform you of a Senate concurrent resolution congratulating Ukraine on its upcoming 10th anniversary of independence. I urge you to express your support for Ukraine's development as a member of the community of nations by voting in the affirmative for the aforementioned Senate resolution.

The U.S. government has shown great concern for the political and economic development of Ukraine, as well as its integration into Euro-Atlantic structures. During her visit last week to Ukraine, U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice expressed admiration for the achievements of economic reform in Ukraine and urged the Ukrainian government to uphold democratic principles. It is essential to acknowledge Ukraine's 10th anniversary as an independent state while reinforcing the U.S. government's support for Ukraine and demonstrating that the strongest democracy in the world is concerned about the future of this emerging democracy.

I thank you in advance for your support of Ukraine and look forward to further cooperation with you and your office.

Sincerely,
(Your name)

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, August 5, 2001, No. 31, Vol. LXIX

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