Ukraine's envoy to U.N. speaks at Fairleigh Dickinson University (05/28/06)

Ukraine's envoy to U.N. speaks at Fairleigh Dickinson University

by Roma Hadzewycz

MADISON, N.J. - Ukraine's ambassador to the United Nations, Valeriy Kuchinsky, spoke on the topic "Ukraine in the World Today" at Fairleigh Dickinson University on April 12. His presentation was part of the university's U.N. Pathways Lecture Series.

The envoy was introduced by Ambassador Ahmad Kamal, Pakistan's former ambassador and founding president of the Ambassador's Club at the United Nations.

Due to Mr. Kuchinsky's traffic-delayed arrival, Ambassador Kamal took to the podium and delivered an address about nuclear weapons, Iran's nuclear ambitions and nuclear non-proliferation - hot topics in the news that week. He pointed out that Ukraine, which once was the world's third largest nuclear power, gave up its arsenal after it became independent.

Ambassador Kamal introduced Ukraine's envoy as a diplomat "who knows the United Nations diplomatic corps perfectly," and as someone who "worked inside the U.N. as a staffer and from the outside as permanent representative of Ukraine."

Ambassador Kuchinsky began his talk by noting that, "Over the last few years, we have witnessed significant developments across the globe and even more dramatic changes in Ukraine propelled by the Orange Revolution."

"Since the dramatic events of December 2004," he continued, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko "has repeatedly stressed that the Ukrainian people, by standing up for their civil rights and freedoms and against cynical falsifications in November 2004, proved to be Europeans and, as Europeans, deserve their place in the united Europe."

"Ukraine, by all accounts, has made great progress towards Euro-Atlantic and European integration," Ambassador Kuchinsky said. It has succeeded in taking down barriers separating it from the rest of Europe, most notably by making progress on economic and democratic reforms, and attaining market economy status. Furthermore, Ukraine is now looking ahead to applying for European Union membership.

In terms of Ukraine's relations with NATO, the ambassador pointed out that "launching and successfully implementing the Intensified Dialogue on Membership is not a lesser achievement," and stated that "each of the alliance members recognizes the legitimacy of Ukraine's NATO aspirations."

"We believe that the goal of getting the invitation to [join] NATO at the 2008 summit is within reach," Mr. Kuchinsky underscored. In order to facilitate Ukraine's movement toward NATO, the country will soon begin a NATO awareness campaign aimed at educating the citizens of Ukraine about the significance of the alliance.

Turning to the topic of U.S.-Ukraine relations, Ambassador Kuchinsky cited another series of recent achievements: "Ukraine's steadily improving economic performance and robust market transformation were recognized by the U.S. by upgrading Ukraine to the market economy status. My country is one step closer to achieving WTO membership after Ukraine and the U.S. successfully completed negotiations on market access on March 6. And, recently the U.S. Congress has approved the decision to abolish the Cold War relic of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment - a move that grants normal trade [relations] to Ukraine."

"Our relations with the U.S. have never been better," the envoy emphasized.

As regards Ukraine's relations with Russia, Ambassador Kuchinsky cited the energy dispute that "made international and domestic headlines for a couple of months." He said that, "though the agreement hammered on January 4 might not be the better option for Ukraine, it still reflects to some extent the balance of interests." He did acknowledge, however, that "the scheme of energy supply is far from transparent by Western standards."

He explained that, "with all economic and political factors taken into account, there was no other option or choice but to abolish previous barter schemes that fed corruption both in Ukraine and Russia and to set up new mechanisms which better suit market economy transformations."

Ambassador Kuchinsky also touched on Ukraine's recent parliamentary elections, noting that it is undeniable that they were "fair, free and democratic." This, he said, "was the final victory of democracy, the end of the Soviet legacy in Ukraine."

At the conclusion of his talk, Ukraine's permanent representative to the U.N. spoke of his country's participation in that international body, calling it "one of the pillars of Ukraine's foreign policy."

He pointed to the fact that, "From the moment the U.N. came into existence [1945] until the Declaration of Ukraine's independence [1991], the United Nations was, in fact, the only forum through which the world community received information on the history and culture of Ukrainian people, and could see Ukraine as a separate entity."

He went on to cite Ukraine's role in many U.N. bodies, among them the Economic and Social Council, the United Nations Development Program, the Security Council and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), as well as the fact that Ukraine's representatives have served in various top U.N. positions, including as president of the General Assembly.

Ambassador Kuchinsky stated that "A new stage of participation of Ukraine in international organizations opened on August 24, 1991, when Ukraine regained its independence. In 1991, for the first time in 45 years of our membership at the U.N., the Ukrainian delegation participated in the General Assembly guided purely by the national interests of our state."

He went on to note that one of Ukraine's main goals at the United Nations was to secure a seat on the newly established Human Rights Council. "I believe that Ukraine should belong to this body, since the rule of law, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms which had always represented important values for our country, were further strengthened in Ukraine's practice as internal and foreign policy after the Orange Revolution." [Editor's note: Ukraine was subsequently elected as one of the members of the Human Rights Council.]

The ambassador's talk was followed by a question-and-answer session during which Fairleigh Dickinson University students and members of the general public broached a variety of topics.

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