KUCHMA PROMISES REFORM, 'NEW PRESIDENT' FOR UKRAINE... "You will see a new president before you," President Leonid Kuchma said in his inauguration speech on 30 November following his swearing-in ceremony (see "RFE/RL's Newsline," 30 November 1999). Touching upon economic policies during his second term, Kuchma pledged further deregulation and liberalization "to conclude transferring the Ukrainian economy to a market track and simultaneously to lay the foundation for implementing a real, strong social policy." He also promised reform of the tax, budget, land, and pension systems. JM
...DEFINES FOREIGN-POLICY PRIORITIES. Kuchma said the key features of Ukraine's foreign policy during his second term will be its "multi-directional" character, predictability, and stability as well as maintaining the country's non-bloc status. Foreign-policy priorities will be developing ties with the EU and Ukraine's European neighbors, Russia, and the U.S. He stressed that Ukraine's strategic goal is to join the EU. Simultaneously, Ukraine will develop its strategic partnership with Russia, since Ukrainian-Russian relations, Kuchma argued, define "in many aspects" the security of Europe as a whole. Kuchma also pledged to develop a strategic partnership with the U.S., which he commented "provided Ukraine during its independence years with invaluable political, financial, economic, and technical assistance." JM
Several states from Central and Eastern Europe will be among the full members of the World Trade Organization sending representatives to the organization's meetings in Seattle this week.
Estonia became the 135th country in the organization when it officially joined last month. Also among the full members are Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
Most of the other states from the region have observer status and have applied for full membership. They are Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky recently made the argument that countries in the region have benefited from membership. In testimony before the U.S. Senate, she cited the cases of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. Attaining membership forces countries in transition from communism to make the reforms necessary for a free-market economy, Barshefsky argued, noting that this in turn helps to bring about long-term growth.
But concerns have been raised in both the region's full WTO member states and in candidate states about some of the consequences of participation in the world trade body.
Latvia became a full member early this year, even though farmers had raised concerns that the step would undermine their ability to compete with agricultural imports. They worry in part because duties on grain imports are to be cut from 75 percent to 50 percent next year.
Others in Latvia, including makers of pharmaceuticals, have complained that WTO membership has forced legal changes that are too rapid. However, Latvia's timber industry is expected to benefit from new trading terms with other WTO states.
With Estonia also now a member, Lithuania is alone among the Baltic States in remaining outside the WTO. Earlier this year, then Lithuanian Prime Minister Gediminas Vagnorius complained that reforms demanded by the WTO did not conform with demands made by the EU on its candidate states.
Kyrgyzstan remains the only CIS state to have won full WTO membership, something it accomplished a year ago. Some Western observers at the time said membership demonstrated the country's progress in establishing the rule of law and transparency in economic matters.
But membership has also complicated Kyrgyzstan's relations with some of its neighbors. First Russia and then Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan imposed new tariffs.
Frederick Starr, chairman of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at John Hopkins University in Washington, told RFE/RL earlier this year that he believes Moscow engineered the tariff hikes to send a message to Bishkek. He said Russian officials wanted to punish Kyrgyzstan for seeking closer ties with the West while drifting away from Moscow's economic and political control. Starr added that another reason may have been that in going so far in meeting WTO standards, Kyrgyzstan, as a fellow CIS member, may have undermined Russia's hopes of winning entry on less demanding terms.
Despite such incidents, many states from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union are likely to use the meetings in Seattle to press ahead with their efforts to win full WTO membership. Their delegates are expected to be joined in Seattle by thousands of anti-WTO demonstrators, who are pressing for an end to child labor, for environmental safeguards, and for a number of other causes.
RFE/RL asked representatives of two of the region's observer states whether they are concerned the protests might detract from their membership efforts.
Nijole Zambaite is minister counselor at the Lithuanian Embassy to the U.S. She said she believes that her country's accession will proceed "according to our merits and negotiations. And I don't think it will be stalled by the demonstrations."
Elmar Mamedyarov, the charge d'affaires at the Azerbaijani Embassy in Washington, is not concerned either that the demonstrations will interfere with the WTO's work. In fact, he welcomes the protests: "From one point of view, it's good because sometimes demonstrations are raising the issues--which is also very important--and give a fresh approach to the issues which maybe sometimes can be skipped."
Only a few states from Central and Eastern Europe are as of yet neither full members of nor observers at the WTO. They are Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Yugoslavia.
Among states of the Middle East, neither Iran nor Iraq is either a member or observers. The region's full members include Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Israel, and Kuwait.
Observers from the region include Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. All but Yemen have applied for full membership.
BEREZOVSKII SAYS CHECHEN LEADERSHIP READY TO DISCUSS PEACE PLAN. Media magnate Boris Berezovskii told Interfax in Kyiv on 30 November that he spoke by telephone last week with former Chechen Foreign Minister Udugov, who informed him that the Chechen leadership is prepared to discuss Berezovskii's seven-point plan for resolving the Chechen conflict. Under that plan, Chechnya remains a part of the Russian Federation, and its military formations must be disbanded. Field commanders who refuse to accept those terms must leave Chechnya (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 17 November 1999). LF
AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT IN TURKEY, UKRAINE. Heidar Aliev flew to Kyiv on 30 November to attend the inauguration of recently re-elected President Leonid Kuchma, according to Turan on 1 December. He also met with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to discuss the future course of bilateral relations. On 27-28 November, Aliev visited Ankara at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart, Suleyman Demirel, where he participated in a seminar on soil erosion and other environmental issues, Turan reported. LF
Several states from Central and Eastern Europe will be among the full members of the World Trade Organization sending representatives to the organization's meetings in Seattle this week.
Estonia became the 135th country in the organization when it officially joined last month. Also among the full members are Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
Most of the other states from the region have observer status and have applied for full membership. They are Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky recently made the argument that countries in the region have benefited from membership. In testimony before the U.S. Senate, she cited the cases of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. Attaining membership forces countries in transition from communism to make the reforms necessary for a free-market economy, Barshefsky argued, noting that this in turn helps to bring about long-term growth.
But concerns have been raised in both the region's full WTO member states and in candidate states about some of the consequences of participation in the world trade body.
Latvia became a full member early this year, even though farmers had raised concerns that the step would undermine their ability to compete with agricultural imports. They worry in part because duties on grain imports are to be cut from 75 percent to 50 percent next year.
Others in Latvia, including makers of pharmaceuticals, have complained that WTO membership has forced legal changes that are too rapid. However, Latvia's timber industry is expected to benefit from new trading terms with other WTO states.
With Estonia also now a member, Lithuania is alone among the Baltic States in remaining outside the WTO. Earlier this year, then Lithuanian Prime Minister Gediminas Vagnorius complained that reforms demanded by the WTO did not conform with demands made by the EU on its candidate states.
Kyrgyzstan remains the only CIS state to have won full WTO membership, something it accomplished a year ago. Some Western observers at the time said membership demonstrated the country's progress in establishing the rule of law and transparency in economic matters.
But membership has also complicated Kyrgyzstan's relations with some of its neighbors. First Russia and then Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan imposed new tariffs.
Frederick Starr, chairman of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at John Hopkins University in Washington, told RFE/RL earlier this year that he believes Moscow engineered the tariff hikes to send a message to Bishkek. He said Russian officials wanted to punish Kyrgyzstan for seeking closer ties with the West while drifting away from Moscow's economic and political control. Starr added that another reason may have been that in going so far in meeting WTO standards, Kyrgyzstan, as a fellow CIS member, may have undermined Russia's hopes of winning entry on less demanding terms.
Despite such incidents, many states from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union are likely to use the meetings in Seattle to press ahead with their efforts to win full WTO membership. Their delegates are expected to be joined in Seattle by thousands of anti-WTO demonstrators, who are pressing for an end to child labor, for environmental safeguards, and for a number of other causes.
RFE/RL asked representatives of two of the region's observer states whether they are concerned the protests might detract from their membership efforts.
Nijole Zambaite is minister counselor at the Lithuanian Embassy to the U.S. She said she believes that her country's accession will proceed "according to our merits and negotiations. And I don't think it will be stalled by the demonstrations."
Elmar Mamedyarov, the charge d'affaires at the Azerbaijani Embassy in Washington, is not concerned either that the demonstrations will interfere with the WTO's work. In fact, he welcomes the protests: "From one point of view, it's good because sometimes demonstrations are raising the issues--which is also very important--and give a fresh approach to the issues which maybe sometimes can be skipped."
Only a few states from Central and Eastern Europe are as of yet neither full members of nor observers at the WTO. They are Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Yugoslavia.
Among states of the Middle East, neither Iran nor Iraq is either a member or observers. The region's full members include Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Israel, and Kuwait.
Observers from the region include Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. All but Yemen have applied for full membership.