National Rukh leader Udovenko discusses increased role of U.N. presidents' council (05/26/02)

National Rukh leader Udovenko discusses increased role of U.N. presidents' council

by Andrew Nynka

NEW YORK - Members of the council of former presidents of the United Nations General Assembly met on May 17 to further define their role within the world's largest peacekeeping body and strengthen the influence of future U.N. General Assembly presidents, said Ukrainian parliamentarian, 52nd U.N. General Assembly president and member of the presidents' council Hennadii Udovenko.

During an extensive interview given exclusively to The Ukrainian Weekly and Svoboda newspapers at Ukraine's Permanent Mission to the U.N. that same day, Mr. Udovenko answered questions ranging from the work and goals of the presidents' council to inquiries into the state of Ukrainian politics and the election of the Verkhovna Rada's new leadership - an issue that remains fiercely debated in Ukraine.

According to Mr. Udovenko, the presidents' council was initiated by the organization's current head and the 46th president of the General Assembly, Saudi Arabia's Samir Shihabi in 1997-1998 during the Ukrainian diplomat's term at the helm of the assembly. The creation of the council sought to "strengthen the role and influence of the General Assembly - the greatest representative organ of the United Nations - and, specifically, its president," said Mr. Udovenko.

"We would like to see the U.N. General Assembly, and its president, play a larger role in mitigating the world's economic, political and social problems," Mr. Udovenko added.

However, the Ukrainian diplomat would not elaborate on the details regarding how the presidents' council sought to attain that goal, saying only that the influence and success of the General Assembly's past presidents would be the driving force behind the presidents' council.

Although the presidents' council is not an official body of the U.N., in 2001 members of the General Assembly passed a resolution initiated by the Ukrainian delegation to the U.N. that, according to Mr. Udovenko, officially recognized the presidents' council as a consultative body to the United Nations.

Mr. Udovenko also took the time to comment on the current political situation in Ukraine. According to the National Rukh of Ukraine (NRU) leader and member of the Our Ukraine parliamentary faction, the parliamentary elections in Ukraine showed a high level of political activity within Ukraine and the success of the Our Ukraine faction. He added, however, that the composition of the Verkhovna Rada's new leadership is a "complicated issue" - one that the Ukrainian diplomat said keeps him in contact with Kyiv on a daily basis.

However, Mr. Udovenko did not further elaborate on who he believed would make up the new Rada leadership, saying only that, with respect to Our Ukraine leader Viktor Yushchenko, "he does not see himself in a leadership role in the Verkhovna Rada" - a comment perceived to indicate Mr. Yushchenko's willingness to, once again, attain the post of Ukrainian prime minister. Experts regard the attainment of the position of prime minister of Ukraine as a necessary steppingstone to succeeding Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma.

Asked about the defection of national deputies who were classified as independents at the time of their election to the United Ukraine parliamentary faction, Mr. Udovenko said he was approached to persuade members of his own party to declare allegiance to United Ukraine. He would not divulge further details on the matter, saying that only when Ukraine begins to reform many of its laws will government coercion diminish. "For this reason," he said, "Our Ukraine pushed to have the election law changed to voting only by party list."

Mr. Udovenko also touched on Ukraine's border issue and commented on the complexity of Russia's reaction to creating a delineated and definitive border between the two countries. While Ukraine has long since demarcated its western borders with countries such as Moldova, Hungary and Poland, its border with Russia remains unclear. "A legitimate country should have two things," Mr. Udovenko explained, "its own national language and borders."

Touching on Ukraine's re-energized economy, he added that "the world knows two economic miracles," Mr. Udovenko said, "German and Japanese - soon they will come to know the third - Ukraine."

Mr. Udovenko also noted Ukraine's interest in helping to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and noted Ambassador to the U.N. Valeriy Kuchinsky's recent proposal to host a round of peace talks between the two warring countries.

"Ukraine has long sought a peaceful solution to the Middle East question due in part to its proximity to the conflict," the former foreign affairs minister said. "Ukraine stands willing to provide the services of its Palestine and Israel experts and ministers in an effort to help mitigate the conflict. And if both sides agree," Mr. Udovenko added, "the mountains of Ukraine stand ready to host such a meeting."

| Home Page |