[Ohio UZO News] US Congress Resolution on Ukraine; DJ

[Deychak, Orest]

Resolution

U.S. House of Representatives

Supporting continued political and economic development in Ukraine
(introduced 12/16/2009),

 

Sponsor: Rep Berman, Howard L. [D-CA] Chairman; Committee on Foreign
Affairs

Original Cosponsors: Rep. Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana [R-FL], Ranking Member,
Committee on Foreign Affairs; Wexler, Robert [D-FL];

Rep. Hastings, Alcee L.[D-FL], Co-Chairman, U.S. Helsinki Commission; 

Reps. Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH]; Levin, Sander M. [D-MI]; Gerlach, Jim
[R-PA]; Bartlett, Roscoe G. [R-MD],  Co-Chairs of Ukraine Caucus.

 

H. Res. 981

Supporting Continued Political and Economic Development in Ukraine

 

Whereas in 1991, Ukraine re-established its independence, and began the
process of developing democratic institutions and a market economy;

 

Whereas the Ukrainian people bravely demonstrated their desire for a
free, democratic, and prosperous country through nonviolent protest
during the 2004 Orange Revolution;

 

Whereas the United States and Ukraine have a strong relationship, as
evidenced by the United States-Ukraine Charter on Strategic Partnership
signed in December 2008 by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice with the
objective of expanding cooperation on defense, trade, energy, democratic
development, and cultural exchange;  

 

Whereas during the July 2009 visit of Vice President Biden to Kyiv, the
United States and Ukraine agreed to create the Strategic Partnership
Commission to help implement the Charter, which held its inaugural
meeting in Washington, D.C. on December 9, 2009 during the visit of the
Ukrainian Foreign Minister; 

 

Whereas a strong, sovereign, independent, democratic, and economically
prosperous Ukraine is important to America's interests and to achieving
peace, prosperity and stability in Europe;

 

Whereas Ukraine has been a staunch partner of the United States and NATO
allies, as demonstrated by Ukraine's participation in the International
Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan and the NATO Training Mission
in Iraq and by NATO's declaration at the Bucharest Summit in April 2008
that Ukraine will become a member of the Alliance;

 

Whereas the United States and the European Union provide assistance to
help Ukraine foster peace and security, strengthen its democratic
institutions, further economic growth, and counter HIV/AIDs and other
deadly diseases;

 

Whereas the United States, the United Kingdom and Russia gave security
assurances to Ukraine in the Budapest Memoranda of December 5, 1994
following Ukraine's commitment to eliminate all nuclear weapons from its
territory and its accession to the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons as a non-nuclear weapons state as well as the entry into
force of the START Treaty;  

 

Whereas the Joint Statement on the Expiration of the START Treaty issued
by the United States and Russia on December 4, 2009 affirmed that "the
assurances recorded in the Budapest Memoranda will remain in effect
after December 4, 2009";

 

Whereas, as Vice President Biden stated when he was in Kyiv, the effort
to reset the U.S! . relationship with Russia "will not come at Ukraine's
expense," and "the more substantive relationship we have with Moscow,
the more we can defuse the zero-sum thinking about our relations with
Russia's neighbors." 

 

Whereas Ukraine and the Ukrainian people have suffered from the world
financial crisis, and the government has sought and received assistance
from international financial institutions, but still needs to overcome
internal political and economic stalemates that prevent it from
fulfilling its requirements and hinder its ability to achieve greater
financial stability; 

 

Whereas Ukraine will hold a presidential election on January 17, 2010,
with a possible run-off election on February 7, if needed;

 

Whereas the initial 2004 presidential elections in Ukraine were marred
by widespread irregularities, including fraud, intimidation,
falsification of results, and media bias;

 

Whereas it is vital for Ukraine's democratic development that the 2010
elections be free, fair, transparent and untainted.

 

Resolved, that the House of Representatives,

 

(1)   Reaffirms the strong relationship between the United States and
Ukraine, and encourages continued efforts to implement the provisions of
the United States-Ukraine Charter on Strategic Partnership;

(2)   Expresses its support for the efforts of the Ukrainian people to
consolidate democratic institutions, rule of law, respect for human
rights, and economic reforms;

(3)   Recognizes the suffering of the Ukrainian people due to the
downturn in the world economy, and supports measures by the
international financial institutions to assist Ukraine;

(4)   Urges all parties in Ukraine to seek resolution of disputes and to
take active measures to enable necessary political and economic reforms;

(5)   Urges the government of Ukraine and all political parties to
ensure that the 2010 election is conducted freely, fairly,
transparently, and without manipulation;

(6)   Encourages the government of Ukraine and all political parties to
welcome the participation of OSCE and other international election
monitors, cooperate fully with them, and provide them unimpeded access
to all aspects of the election process; and

(7)   Reiterates its enduring support and friendship for Ukraine and the
Ukrainian people.  

 

Dow Jones

IMF Names New Ukraine Chief; Discusses Loan Package 

By Meena Thiruvengadam 

Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

17 December 2009

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--As it prepares to meet with Ukrainian officials
over the potential release of additional loan dollars, the International
Monetary Fund is bringing in a new mission chief to guide its operations
in the country.

Athanasios Arvanitis is set to take over for Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, who
will move to the IMF's Monetary and Capital Markets department next
month.

The switch is not linked to current developments in the country, IMF
spokeswoman Conny Lotze said.

The IMF, which has extended a $16.4 billion loan to Ukraine, has been
locked in a disagreement with the country over a compensation plan that
would boost its budget deficit and conflict with the Fund-supported loan
program.

Ukraine in recent days has asked the IMF for an emergency $2 billion
loan that would allow it to pay a bill for natural gas from Russia and
cover other financial obligations.

The Fund, which has disbursed nearly $11 billion to Ukraine under its
existing loan offer, suspended the release of what would have been its
latest installment of loan funding, about $3.8 billion, over
disagreements on the compensation plan and budget deficit.

Ukrainian officials are in Washington to meet with IMF officials
concerning the loan funding.

"There is a broad understanding about what needs to be done," IMF
spokeswoman Caroline Atkinson said in a Thursday media briefing.

 (James Marson contributed to this article.) 

 

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