A decade after Ukraine and U.S. established diplomatic relations, current ambassador reflects on ties (02/10/02)

A decade after Ukraine and U.S. established diplomatic relations,
current ambassador reflects on ties

by Yaro Bihun
Special to The Ukrainian Weekly

WASHINGTON - Ten years have passed since the United States and a newly independent Ukraine established diplomatic relations, and, as Ukraine's current ambassador here recalls how the relationship evolved, he is convinced that they succeeded in laying a sound foundation for its future development.

It was not all smooth sailing, and neither side may be completely satisfied that all its concerns were met or adequately addressed. But, as Ambassador Kostyantyn Gryshchenko sees it, it was a cooperative process based on mutual interests in which important goals were achieved.

He discussed the issues and accomplishments of the first decade of U.S.-Ukrainian relations during a recent interview with The Ukrainian Weekly. (His responses, given in Ukrainian, are translated in this article.)

Mr. Gryshchenko was well-acquainted with the major issues between Kyiv and Washington when he took over as Ukraine's ambassador here two years ago. He held senior positions in the Foreign Affairs Ministry's Arms Control and Disarmament Department when Ukraine's nuclear disarmament was the priority item on Washington's agenda during the first half of the 1990s, and before coming to Washington in February 2000 he was ambassador to Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg (the Benelux countries), as well as Ukraine's representative to NATO - in the forefront of Ukraine's expanded relationship with the trans-Atlantic security alliance and with the European Union.

From the outset, the United States played what Ambassador Gryshchenko said was a "key role" in establishing Ukraine in the international arena and in helping Ukraine resolve a number of serious problems, "especially those dealing with the Russian Federation."

At the same time the United States was helping Ukraine rid itself of the nuclear arsenal it inherited from the USSR. The ambassador said the nuclear issue, for all practical purposes, has been resolved, leaving only a few "working-level" issues remaining.

Another issue of a major concern to Washington and Kyiv during the 1990s dealt with the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the technology for their development. Again, with U.S. assistance and that of other Western countries, Ukraine instituted an effective export-control system that, he noted, has made it "practically impossible" for such weapons and technology to leave the country.

"We have cooperated fully in this area," he said, "and we will continue to do so in the future."

Another item on the U.S. and Western European agenda for Ukraine was the closure of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, which menaced much of Europe when it exploded in the 1980s. "That issue remains on the table today," Ambassador Gryshchenko said.

"The Chornobyl nuclear power plant has been shut down, but far from all of the obligations the G-7 countries took upon themselves have been realized," he added.

Mr. Gryshchenko noted that the promised assistance in expanding the output of the power stations in Rivne and Khmelnytskyi to compensate for Chornobyl's shutdown has not fully materialized, nor have the credits promised by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. An agreement in principle was reached with the bank, but the details have yet to be worked out, he said.

The United States has played a major role in bringing about Ukraine's special relationship with NATO. While Ukraine has not expressed a desire to become a member of NATO, for reasons that Ambassador Gryshchenko says are obvious, "at the same time - and our president has made this point - we are willing to go as far in our relationship with NATO as it is prepared to go."

Ambassador Gryshchenko pointed out that among all non-member states, including those that have sought NATO membership, Ukraine has probably the widest range of cooperative programs with NATO. Ukraine hosts annual training maneuvers with NATO and U.S. forces at its NATO peacekeeping training center in Yavoriv; it takes part in NATO's emergency response and peacekeeping efforts and holds regular high-level meetings with the alliance leadership.

As for Ukraine's wanting to join the European Community, he said, that has been its goal from the outset. "We are realistic and understand that this will take a lot of time and effort, but Ukraine does not see itself as being outside of Europe. We are a European country, and it is impossible to be a European country and to be a part of Europe today without being a member of EC or at least in some association with it," he said.

To that end, he noted that Ukraine has its representation at the EC and has a ministry of the economy and European integration. It is working on upgrading Ukraine's economy to European standards, which, in turn, will also help Ukraine in its membership bid to the World Trade Organization, he said.

Ambassador Gryshchenko pointed out that Ukraine's economy has been improving, growing at 9.5 percent in the first three quarters of last year; industrial production is up by between 15 and 30 percent in some sectors; inflation is down; and the hryvnia is stable.

On the other hand, over the past few years Ukraine has been plagued with allegations of widespread high-level corruption, official complicity in the murder of journalist Heorhii Gongadze, the secret taping of the president's conversations, and the wholesale pirating and illegal reproduction of American CDs, DVDs and other laser recordings.

The United States has been publicly pressuring Ukraine to resolve these problem areas. And Ambassador Gryshchenko said that Ukraine is working on them. "These are real issues, and they are being resolved in Ukraine, regardless of any external pressures," he said. "They are important to establishing the rule of law in Ukraine."

Combating corruption is a long-term goal of the government, he explained, and a major weapon in this fight is increasing transparency in the economy, in the government budgetary process and in such sectors of the economy as energy and agriculture. "Of course these problems are discussed in our contacts [with U.S. officials], but our position is that we must do this for ourselves. We listen to advice, but we, ourselves, must resolve these problems," he said.

The U.S.-Ukrainian relationship is strong and includes important bilateral cooperation in many areas, as well as in high-level contacts, he said. During the past year, President George W. Bush's National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld visited Kyiv, while Ukraine's Prime Minister Anatolii Kinakh, Foreign Affairs Minister Anatolii Zlenko and presidential Chief of Staff Volodymyr Lytvyn visited Washington.

While there could be no complaints about the frequency of high-level contacts, Ambassador Gryshchenko said, "One, however, would like to see more long-term engagement and cooperation that are not tied to specific events."

"We understand that the war against terrorism today demands very much attention in Washington," he said. "But, at the same time, the United States has global interests and, I think, it cannot concentrate for too long exclusively on one issue, regardless of its overriding importance." These other issues are not being completely neglected, he explained, but they could be addressed and decided on a higher level of the U.S. government, which now spends most of its time and attention on terrorism.

Among the things Ukraine would like to see the United States give more attention to is the so-called Kharkiv Initiative, which Washington launched after it convinced Ukraine to cancel its participation in a Russian-led nuclear energy project in Iran. "Concrete progress in this initiative would be exceptionally important," Ambassador Gryshchenko said.

"There is a widely held feeling that Ukraine has done much of what has been asked of her," he said. In response, Ukraine, among other things, would like to see the United States open its markets to Ukrainian imports.

Asked about the recent Verkhovna Rada decision to pass an intellectual property law that did meet internationally accepted standards and, thus, inviting the United States to initiate trade sanctions against Ukraine, Ambassador Gryshchenko said that while the government had lobbied for a version of the law that would have met those standards, the majority of the Parliament did not agree. "It's the democratic process," he said. "Opinions vary in Ukraine, and, unfortunately, they are not always correct."

In general, he said, Ukrainians view the United States "in a very positive light." They see it as a country that assures Ukraine's independence and security.

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, changed the geopolitical situation, as well as U.S. approach to its relations with many countries - Ukraine and Russia among them. And this gave rise to speculation in the press about the possibility of U.S. relations with Ukraine being downplayed in comparison to the greater importance now being given relations with Russia.

While Ukraine is doing its share in the U.S.-led coalition fight against terrorism, Ambassador Gryshchenko said, "Russia, of course, is closer to Afghanistan, and the fact that it, too, is very actively assisting in the war has changed the general atmosphere." But closer U.S.-Russia ties do not trouble Ukraine, he said. "We have always adhered to the position that, in general, Russia and the United States should maintain the best possible relations. We believe that this helps create a better condition for Ukraine's own development," he said.

At the same time, Ukraine, too, has been improving its relationship with Russia, especially on such issues as gas deliveries, the utilization of Ukraine's gas-pipeline system and finalizing its common border. "I believe that the absence of conflict with Russia should not be seen as a negative factor in determining the level of the dialogue between the United States and Ukraine," he said.

"In their dealings with us here and in their public statements, representatives of the State Department and the National Security Council have always stressed that U.S.-Ukraine relations are independent and not directly tied to U.S. relations with Russia," he said.

The Ukrainian diaspora community in the United States has also played a role in the development of U.S.-Ukraine ties, and the community's relationship with Ukraine has evolved over the decade, Ambassador Gryshchenko said. "There is a normal, ongoing process which, after the first phase following independence and the resulting euphoria, entered a period of normal, long-term relations," he said.

"Ukraine today does not seek [the diaspora's] economic assistance, which was important during the early stage." What is needed now, he said, "is the assistance of Ukrainian organizations that recognize the mutuality of Ukrainian and American interests" in such areas as the elimination of the Soviet-era Jackson-Vanik Amendment, which is an obstacle to normal relations.

Ambassador Gryshchenko, who meets regularly with diaspora representatives, siad, "I think that we can be satisfied with this cooperation thus far and can expect this cooperation to continue." While some Ukrainian Americans and organizations are critical about certain events in Ukraine, he said he feels that the diaspora, for the most part, has a positive approach to Ukraine as a nation and its people. "And that is what is important and not the differences of opinion on this or that issue," he stated.

Ambassador Gryshchenko directs an Embassy staff of around 40, with slightly more than half of them diplomats. The Embassy does not hire local employees, but a few Ukrainian Americans volunteer their professional services. The Embassy is located in the historic Forrest-Marbury House complex overlooking the Potomac River in the Georgetown section of the capital.

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