NEWSBRIEFS (06/18/06)

NEWSBRIEFS

Bush cancels visit to Ukraine

KYIV - George W. Bush has canceled his planned visit to Ukraine, Reuters reported on June 8 quoting a White House press release. The Ukrayinska Pravda website, quoting Reuters, wrote that the cancellation was due to the lack of a government in Ukraine and possible fears of angering Russia. Other sources in Washington said that Russia's reaction surely was not the reason, and the Associated Press reported that the U.S. president would not visit since Ukraine's government and Parliament were in disarray. White House spokesman Tony Snow was quoted as saying that a visit by Mr. Bush to Ukraine would take place at a later date. (RFE/RL Newsline, The Ukrainian Weekly, Associated Press)

Moroz predicts crisis over coalition

KYIV - Socialist Party leader Oleksander Moroz said on June 11 that the coalition talks between his party, the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and Our Ukraine on forming a new government had reached an impasse, UNIAN reported. Mr. Moroz said that if President Viktor Yushchenko failed to intervene in the negotiation process, the talks would prove fruitless. "To conduct further talks with businessmen from politics, who represent Our Ukraine at the current moment, is devoid of any sense," the Socialist Party press service quoted Mr. Moroz as saying. Our Ukraine had reportedly agreed that Yulia Tymoshenko should head the Cabinet of Ministers but wants current Prime Minister Yurii Yekhanurov to become parliamentary chairman. The Socialist Party, however, wants that post for Mr. Moroz. Meanwhile, President Yushchenko said in a radio address to the nation on June 10 that he will not intervene in the coalition talks because "I do not want to form a coalition under pressure." He noted, "I think that the politician who aspires to the post of prime minister should shoulder the responsibility for coalition-building." (RFE/RL Newsline)

Orange coalition talks break down

KYIV - Our Ukraine has told its partners in coalition talks - the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and the Socialist Party - that it feels "free in its actions" and is under "no obligations at present" regarding the two allies in the 2004 Orange Revolution, UNIAN reported on June 13, quoting Roman Zvarych of Our Ukraine. In a statement issued on June 12, Our Ukraine said it sees "no prospects of success" in continuing talks on forming a ruling coalition with these two groups. However, negotiators from Our Ukraine have refused to confirm or deny that they will now turn to the Party of the Regions led by former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych with an offer to form a new government. The three former Orange Revolution allies reportedly differ on the distribution of top government posts. The newly elected Verkhovna Rada, which began its work on May 25 and gathered shortly on June 7, was to reconvene on June 14. In accordance with a 2004 amendment to the Ukrainian Constitution, the president has the right to dissolve the Verkhovna Rada if it fails to form a ruling majority within one month. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Yulia won't join "mishmash" coalition

KYIV - Yulia Tymoshenko, leader of the eponymous political bloc, told a reopened session of the Verkhovna Rada on June 14 that the recently deadlocked talks about the restoration of an Orange Revolution coalition were used as a "smokescreen" by Our Ukraine, which in Ms. Tymoshenko's opinion wants to conclude a coalition deal with the Party of the Regions, Ukrainian media reported. Ms. Tymoshenko was commenting on a statement by Our Ukraine on June 13, in which the party appealed to all parliamentary forces to sit at a negotiating table. According to Our Ukraine, the coalition talks reached an impasse because the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and the Socialist Party "have put their ambitions regarding the key portfolios above the will of the Ukrainian people." "[The Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc] will not agree to any coalition cooperation in such a mishmash format, which will include the Party of the Regions, Our Ukraine and some others," Ms. Tymoshenko stated in the Parliament on June 14. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Moroz willing to cede Rada chairmanship

KYIV - Socialist Party leader Oleksander Moroz said in the Verkhovna Rada on June 14 that his party will give up its aspiration to obtain the post of parliamentary chairman if this move prolongs talks on the creation of a coalition of democratic forces with the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc and Our Ukraine, Ukrainian media reported. "We are ready to give up this claim, but on condition that the distribution of all [other] posts will be made proportionally, beginning from raion administration heads and ending with ministers," Mr. Moroz said. He added that the Socialist Party will not agree to a comeback of the "Kuchma power system" in which, according to Mr. Moroz, a party with public support of 6 percent "fully controlled the country." The coalition talks of the Orange Revolution allies reportedly broke down because Our Ukraine would not agree to Moroz's wish to obtain the post of Rada chairman. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Our Ukraine keeps all options open

KYIV - Our Ukraine leader Roman Bezsmertnyi called on deputies in the Verkhovna Rada session hall on June 14 to find a compromise in creating a ruling coalition, Ukrainian media reported. "We should not scare each other but look for a compromise," Mr. Bezsmertnyi said, after noting that the legislature has only 10 more days to form a ruling majority. Mr. Bezsmertnyi did not respond to Mr. Moroz's proposal to resume talks among the Orange Revolution allies after the latter abandoned his aspiration to become Parliament chairman. Meanwhile, Party of the Regions parliamentary caucus chairman Mykola Azarov said in the Verkhovna Rada that his party is ready to negotiate the formation of a ruling majority. "When the country is on the brink of catastrophe, [party] leaders should sit at a negotiating table with everyone who is ready to assume responsibility for the country's future," Mr. Azarov added. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Is G-8 energy deal in the offing?

NEW YORK - The New York Times reported on June 12 that Russian, European, Japanese and U.S. negotiators are preparing a text for the July summit in St. Petersburg of the Group of Eight (G-8) industrialized countries on mutual access to each other's energy markets. Russia wants to invest in Western utilities, pipelines, natural gas facilities and other infrastructure. It has, however, been reluctant to endorse market principles for its own energy sector, which is increasingly the preserve of state-run monopolies that President Vladimir Putin uses to project Russian power abroad. The daily reported that Lukoil is buying a chain of 2,000 gas stations in the United States and that unnamed Russian businesses are interested in U.S pipelines and facilities for converting liquefied natural gas (LNG). Igor Shuvalov, who is an aide to President Putin and his chief planner for the G-8 summit, told the newspaper that "the summit should recognize that Russia plays a key role in providing energy security, and that Russia is ready to open its energy reserves to foreign investment. ... We think that after this summit, no one will again question the membership of Russia in the G-8." Some of Russia's Western critics have suggested that it be dropped from that group on the grounds that it is neither industrialized nor democratic. An unnamed senior U.S. official told the daily that nobody is trying to exclude Russia, but only to ensure that it does not have monopolies that can manipulate markets. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Some U.S. reservists leave Ukraine

SYMFEROPOL - A group of U.S. reservists from a contingent of 225 flew home from Symferopol on June 11 without completing their mission in Crimea, UNIAN reported, quoting Ukrainian military sources. The remaining reservists were scheduled to leave the peninsula on June 12. The reservists arrived in Ukraine last month to upgrade a military training range near the Crimean port of Feodosiya, ahead of the planned multinational Sea Breeze 2006 exercise. The docking of a U.S. naval cargo ship in Feodosiya on May 27, which brought construction equipment and materials as well as small arms, has triggered continuing anti-NATO protests in the port and cast doubt on whether the exercise will be authorized by the Ukrainian Parliament. (RFE/RL Newsline)

Ukrainian language official in Serbia

KYIV - As of July 1, the Ukrainian language will be an official regional language in Serbia. Local authorities, courts and educational institutions will use Ukrainian. This is the first time that a foreign country has given the Ukrainian language official status. Serbia is home to a large Ukrainian diaspora community. (NTN Television)

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