[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 117 (Wednesday, July 19, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1466]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


              FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF UKRAINIAN INDEPENDENCE

                                 ______


                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 19, 1995
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, on July 16 I had the privilege of addressing 
a group of Ukrainian-Americans in Glen Spey, NY, concerning 
developments in the New Independent State of Ukraine.
  In honor of the upcoming fourth anniversary of the independence of 
Ukraine, I would like to insert some of my remarks into the Record at 
this point for the review of my colleagues.
  As we approach the anniversary of Ukrainian independence this August 
24, I invite my colleagues to join me in expressing our very best 
wishes for the success of political and economic reforms in that 
important European State.
  Mr. Speaker the text of my speech follows. I am hopeful that my 
colleagues may find it of interest.

       It is good to be here with some of my good friends from the 
     Ukrainian-American community.
       I would like to take a moment to say a few things about 
     Ukraine, now approaching the fourth anniversary of its 
     independence.
       The last few years have not been easy ones for the 
     Ukrainian people.
       Despite Ukraine's natural weath--particularly in its 
     agricultural resources--it has suffered greatly from its 
     dependence on trade links purposely created by the former 
     communist regime to control Ukraine--and from the physical 
     and psychological residue left in the wake of many decades of 
     communist repression, propaganda and corruption.
       By no means, however, can Ukraine be considered as down and 
     out.
       As we all well know, Ukraine and its people have weathered 
     far worse times--times of world war, times of civil war, 
     times of mass starvation, and times of fascist and communist 
     dictatorship and atrocities.
       I am very confident that, with the help and understanding 
     of its friends--particularly that of the United States--
     Ukraine will begin to gain its feet and move forward to the 
     long-term prosperity and democracy it richly deserves.
       I am more confident of this than ever before, given the 
     strong leadership of Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma.
       Since his election last year, President Kuchma and his 
     government have moved with determination to implement the 
     economic reforms that Ukraine so badly needs.
       In closing, let me note how the United States has helped 
     and is continuing to help Ukraine in this difficult time.
       We have provided vital assistance to Ukraine to help it 
     begin retraining its military forces and to settle and 
     retrain those of its troops that are demobilized as Ukraine 
     dismantles its soviet-era nuclear missiles.
       We have assisted Ukraine in arriving at agreements with 
     Russia concerning Russian compensation for Ukrainian nuclear 
     warheads and concerning Russian energy supplies for Ukraine.
       I am also certain that at this time our government is 
     continuing to advise the Ukrainian government on how to 
     arrive at an acceptable agreement with Russia concerning the 
     division and basing of the Soviet-era Black Sea Fleet.
       The United States quite frankly played a crucial role in 
     arranging the recent agreement of Ukrainian debt 
     rescheduling.
       That agreement helped Ukraine qualify for the billions of 
     dollars in loans and credits it is now receiving from 
     international financial institutions.
       Finally, assistance from the United States in support of 
     economic reforms in Ukraine is helping that country in 
     several very important ways.
       The United States is helping the Ukrainian government 
     target its limited resources to best help the most needy 
     segments of its population during the transformation to a 
     market-based economy commences.
       It is helping train Ukrainian entrepreneurs, bankers, 
     businessmen and students.
       The United States is helping transfer state-owned 
     enterprises to private ownership by Ukrainian citizens.
       It is helping Ukrainian energy industries to become more 
     efficient and productive.
       We are helping the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian 
     Parliament to better organize themselves and operate in a 
     manner that will fulfill their proper roles in a democratic 
     government.
       The United States is helping Ukraine find the means to shut 
     down the dangerous reactors at Chernobyl--and to help the 
     unfortunate victims of radiation poisoning from the 1986 
     reactor explosion, both in Ukraine and in neighboring 
     Belarus.
       Perhaps most important, United States assistance is helping 
     fund programs to explain to the Ukrainian people the changes 
     that are underway and how they will help build a better 
     Ukraine for them and their children.
       In closing, let us, as we look to the future, realize that 
     we must continue to work to ensure the stability of Ukraine--
     because the stability of all of Europe may depend upon it.
       In that regard, it makes a great deal of sense for us to 
     continue assisting Ukraine and to work to see that Ukraine 
     takes its rightful place in Europe, particularly with regard 
     to organizations such as the European Union and NATO.
       May God Bless America.
       And, may God bless peace, democracy, and prosperity for 
     Ukraine.
     

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