[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 26 (Thursday, March 1, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H613-H614]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        THE SITUATION IN UKRAINE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to continue the 
efforts started by my colleagues here this afternoon regarding the 
situation in Ukraine.
  I just had the pleasure of leading a delegation to Russia, Ukraine, 
and Moldova, where our primary purpose was to reestablish strong ties 
with the people of those three countries; to announce, specifically in 
Ukraine, the establishment of a new interparliamentary dialogue between 
the Rada and the American Congress.
  While meeting in Ukraine, we were scheduled to have a 30-minute 
meeting with the President of that country, President Kuchma. The 
meeting lasted for 2 hours and 15 minutes because of the current 
turmoil in Ukraine relative to the murder and the atrocities committed 
against a reporter, and the evidence that some have put forth 
indicating a tape with supposedly or allegedly President Kuchma's voice 
ordering the assassination of the reporter.
  In our meeting with President Kuchma, we pleaded with him that 
Ukraine had to abide by the rule of law and had to maintain the freedom 
of the press in this investigative process. We offered the support of 
our Federal Bureau of Investigation to the Ukrainian government to 
fully investigate this incident, so that everyone in the world would 
know the facts about this particular incident.
  President Kuchma accepted that offer of the cooperation of our FBI.

                              {time}  1600

  We stressed with President Kuchma the need to maintain the rule of 
law, as well as protect the freedom of those to speak out who were in 
disagreement with his government.
  He reaffirmed the commitment to those principles with the seven-
member delegation that was a part of this trip. Today we find out, Mr. 
Speaker, that the Ukrainian government has shut down the basic first 
amendment rights of the people of that country to speak out. There had 
been a peaceful protest set up in downtown Kiev, where people from all 
walks of life in Ukraine were protesting what they felt was inadequate 
response by the government to this incident.
  While we reaffirmed to President Kuchma that we were not there to try 
to impose our will on the people of Ukraine, it was absolutely 
essential that the rights guaranteed by any democracy under a 
Constitution such as that which Ukraine is now under be held up and be 
maintained.
  It is absolutely devastating that today we hear that Ukraine has 
taken a step in the wrong direction. Mr. Speaker, this is not good news 
for America. It is not good news for Ukraine, nor the Ukrainian people.
  I call upon President Kuchma and the Ukrainian government as friends 
of Ukraine wanting to support more enhanced cooperation to reestablish 
the basic principles of a free democracy, to reestablish the principles 
of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, to reestablish the 
principle of the rule of law, to have a full and complete investigation 
of the murder of Mr. Gongadze wherever it might lead.
  Unfortunately, if these steps are not taken, my prediction is that 
this Congress will act to send a signal to Ukraine that we are not 
happy with the steps that are being taken to reverse the progress that 
Ukraine has achieved over the past several years.
  Mr. Speaker, as a friend of Ukraine and a friend of the Ukrainian 
people, I plead with President Kuchma to live up to the standards that 
he affirmed to

[[Page H614]]

the seven-member congressional delegation for his country, because the 
word received today does not coincide with what President Kuchma told 
us he would do as the leader of that great Nation.

                          ____________________