UWC President in Washington and Chicago
Eugene Czolij Discusses Ukraine’s Democratization with US Officials...
On
6-7 March 2013, during a working visit to Washington, DC, Ukrainian
World Congress (UWC) President Eugene Czolij discussed with
high-ranking US officials, diplomats of various countries and
representatives of American analytical institutions the issues of
Ukraine’s democratization and Europeanization which are important
to that country, as well as to the strategic interests of both Europe
and the United States of America.
In that respect, the UWC President emphasized that the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement will provide a stimulus for democratic, social and economic progress in Ukraine. At the same time, it will prevent Ukraine from being pulled into the Russia-dominated Customs and Eurasian Unions which pose the threat of creating a new Soviet Union. Eugene Czolij noted that in December 2012, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated: “We are trying to figure out effective ways to slow down or prevent it [a new Soviet Union]”. Taking into account these words, he called upon high-ranking U.S. officials to use all available means of influence to ensure that Ukraine’s governing authorities revert, as quickly as possible, to democratic governance so as to enable the signing of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.
The UWC President discussed these issues with: US Congressman Jim Gerlach, Co-chair of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus; Baxter Hunt, US Department of State Director for Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus Affairs; Michael Uyehara, US Department of State Director, European Affairs, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor; Lyn Debevoise, Director for Eastern European Affairs, National Security at The White House; officials from the US Senate and House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committees; John Herbst, former US Ambassador to Ukraine; and the Ukrainian, Lithuanian and Polish Ambassadors to the US, Oleksandr Motsyk, Zygimantas Pavilionis and Ryszard Schnepf, respectively.
During his meeting with Ukraine’s Ambassador to the US, the UWC President expressed his concern over the 6 March 2013 decision with which opposition Batkivschyna Party People’s Deputy Serhiy Vlasenko was stripped of his parliamentary seat, a move which further distances Ukraine from the Euro-integration process. Eugene Czolij stated that “such actions threaten the signing of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and that Ukraine’s governing authorities will have to answer for this to the Ukrainian people.”
While in Washington, Eugene Czolij gave an interview to Voice of America and delivered greetings to participants of a community gathering at the Embassy of Ukraine commemorating Taras Shevchenko.
The visit was organized by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America Washington Bureau, and the Ukrainian National Information Service, headed by Michael Sawkiw.
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Eugene Czolij on US Capitol Hill
...Meets US Congressmen and Ukrainian Community
On
10 March 2013 in Chicago, IL, UWC President Eugene Czolij met with
United States Congressmen Danny Davis and Mike Quigley to discuss
issues of Ukraine’s Euro-integration and democratization. Joining
the UWC President in the meetings were Ukrainian community leaders:
President of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA),
Illinois Division, Alex Striltschuk; UCCA Vice President, Illinois
Division, Paul Bandriwsky; Chairman of the Heritage Foundation of
First Security Federal Savings Bank, Julian Kulas; President/CEO of
Selfreliance Ukrainian American Federal Credit Union, Bohdan Watral;
President of the Kyiv Mohyla Foundation of America, Marta Farion; and
Executive Board Member of the Ukrainian National Museum, Steve
Demitro.
The UWC President noted US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s [comments] made in December 2012 and emphasized that the serious threat to “re-Sovietise the region” may be averted with the signing of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. For this to occur, Ukraine’s governing authorities [need] to revert to democratic governance. [Effectively], the US should consider broadening the scope of the Magnitsky Bill to include individuals associated with human rights violations in Ukraine.
Eugene Czolij also encouraged the US to take appropriate actions to ensure that Russia complies with the 1994 Memorandum on Security Assurances in connection with Ukraine’s accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, also signed by the US, the UK and Ukraine, and stops using Russian gas as a political weapon against Ukraine.
These issues were also presented by the UWC President at a community gathering organized by the UCCA Illinois Division. During the program, Eugene Czolij recognized the Heritage Foundation of First Security Federal Savings Bank for its ongoing financial support of the work done by the UWC and presented a plaque in gratitude to Foundation Chairman, Julian Kulas. To conclude the evening, the Selfreliance Ukrainian American Federal Credit Union and Selfreliance Foundation, and the UCCA Illinois Division presented the UWC President with generous donations in support of UWC activities.
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From L. to R.: A. Striltschuk, P. Bandriwsky, J. Kulas, E. Czolij, D. Davis, B. Watral, M. Quigley, M. Farion and S. Demitro