[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 38 (Tuesday, April 12, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 12, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      UPCOMING UKRAINIAN ELECTIONS

                                 ______


                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 12, 1994

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, the recent visit to the United States by 
Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk was largely overlooked by our news 
media. This is unfortunate because the U.S. relationship with Ukraine 
is of enormous importance to both of our countries.
  In a recent article in Foreign Affairs, Zbigniew Brzezinski argues 
that the future stability and independence of Ukraine is of paramount 
importance to America's foreign policy interests. Many other analysts, 
both within and outside the Clinton administration, agree with this 
assessment. The key question is, What will best insure Ukraine's 
stability and independence?
  Most of us have read alarming reports about the situation in Ukraine 
over the past 6 months. The economy is in a free fall: Inflation stands 
at an annual rate of 6,500 percent, and an energy crisis has led to 
sharp reductions in industrial output, temporary layoffs of hundreds of 
thousands of workers and the closing of universities for most of the 
winter. Meanwhile, ethnic conflict threatens to explode in Crimea, 
where the President of that mostly Russian autonomous region of Ukraine 
is calling for a referendum on a possible union with Russia.
  In the middle of these political conflicts and economic disasters, 
Ukraine will hold an election Sunday, March 27. Ukrainian citizens will 
go to the polls to elect a new parliament. The current parliament, or 
Verhovna Rada, was elected back in 1990, before Ukraine was even an 
independent state and before it had any real experience in running a 
free and fair election.
  This upcoming election will go a long way toward determining what 
kind of a future Ukraine will have. For one thing, it may start the 
process of breaking the political logjam that has made it impossible 
for the Ukrainian Government to seriously address the country's 
desperate economic situation. In addition, if the elections are 
perceived by the people of Ukraine as being free and fair, they will 
hopefully begin a process of rebuilding the Ukrainian people's trust in 
their government and belief in the reform process, which has been badly 
shattered by the events of the past several years. Without such a 
relationship between the people and the government they elect to 
represent them, there is little chance for Ukraine to emerge from its 
current crisis.
  Let us all join in wishing the Ukrainian people well as they go to 
the polls and exercise their right to a free and fair vote on the 
future of Ukraine.

                          ____________________