Yatsuba: Creation of favorable conditions for regional development will insure Ukraine’s union

News / 21 March 2007 | 17:35

According to newly
elected Minister of Regional Development and Building Volodymyr Yatsuba,
Ukraine needs creation of favorable condition for regional development to
insure its union. He told after being appointed the Minister for Regional
Development and Building, “Cabinet press office” reported.

According to Volodymyr Yatsuba,
it’s a complicated task to solve regional problems in Kyiv. He promised to
apply all efforts for the Ministry for Regional Development and Building to
lobby regional authorities.

Answering the question
on staff policy, Volodymyr Yatsuba noted it will be based on experience of
those people, who run local self-government, mayors and governors.

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President slams Kinakh

News / 21 March 2007 | 17:05

Victor Yushchenko told reporters on Wednesday Anatoly Kinakh’s
appointment as the country’s new economy minister was a “moral disgrace.”

“I am convinced no one will like this ‘recruitment.’ This is a
dishonest act in politics,” he said while attending a counter-terrorism
exercise, president’s press office reported.

The President said Ukraine’s democratic forces, which Anatoly
Kinakh virtually represents, “symbolize the spirit of changes” for many
Ukrainians.

“I am really sorry that a person that stood near me at the
Maidan and was among the five leaders of the Our Ukraine bloc did it,” he
said.

He, however, added that the situation was not fatal and
described it as an “episode in Ukraine’s politics.”

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Yushchenko views Alpha exercise

News / 21 March 2007 | 16:47

President Victor Yushchenko and National Security and Defense
Council Secretary Vitaly Haiduk have viewed an exercise involving the Alpha
Counter-Terrorism Unit of the Security Service of Ukraine to mark the
15th anniversary of its founding. The Alpha officers demonstrated
their skills by simulating an attack on a bus to free hostages and firing their
guns while driving. 

The President wished those working at the Security Service a
happy anniversary. He said it was a perfect occasion to critically assess what
has been done and outline plans for the future.

“The Security Service has completed the first phase of its
development. Nobody questions its role in protecting the nation’s interests,” he
said.

The Ukrainian leader said the Security Service and the country
had been developing simultaneously and so it, just like Ukraine, had been
through a “difficult period of changes.”

“Not all of these transformations have benefited it [the
Security Service],” he said.

Mr. Yushchenko believes it has great potential, which is seen
in its active participation in global counter-terrorism operations, as well as
in its professional work in other areas. 

“The Security Service is being constantly watched by our
society and stands on the crossroads of political forces. Like the rest of the
country, it should become immune to all attempts to use it unlawfully,” he said.

The President is convinced it is necessary to improve the
Security Service but introduce reforms along with structural changes within the
country’s law enforcement system so that they should prove effective. 

He also said the Security Service “needs protection.” 

“We must protect it against infighting and professional apathy.
We must also build an inviolable wall to protect it from desires to make it
politically dependent,” he said, pledging to ensure that the Security Service is
“never influenced.” “Your guides are the Constitution, laws and the President.” 

He also insisted that “renewing the original functions of the
Security Service is task number one” and called on those present to “resolutely
get rid of the peels” of uncharacteristic functions and duties.

He said the Security Service should develop
counterintelligence, prevent claims on our sovereignty, promote
counter-terrorism efforts and carry out information and analytical research.

The President promised he would soon nominate his candidate to
head the Security Service.

“This person will be able to introduce reforms and focus on
state priorities,” he said, thanking “all the honest, professional and moral
security officers.” “I rely on your patriotism, professional commitment, honor
and dignity,” he added.

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President considers Ukraine is not ready for missile shield placement

News / 21 March 2007 | 16:31

Ukraine should not make any hasty decisions on the placement of a missile shield
on its territory until a common global approach to this issue has been
developed, President Viktor Yushchenko said Wednesday.

Ukraine’s parliament, the Supreme Rada, is planning to hear a situation
report by the Defense Ministry and Foreign Ministry about the possible
deployment of missile-defense systems on Ukrainian soil.

“This is an issue that involves more than just one particular state,”
Yushchenko said in an exclusive interview with RIA Novosti. “We are speaking
about global processes that would affect any country regardless of its
geographical location.”

“It is a multi-layered discussion and every layer must be discussed,” the
Ukrainian president said. “That is why I do not want Ukraine to rush into an
agreement on missile shield deployment.”

He said the United States and Russia should be the main participants in the
discussion because both countries are actively developing missile-defense
systems and are planning to deploy them in Europe.

Washington announced in January that it would build a radar installation in
the Czech Republic and a missile interceptor base in Poland in the next five
years to counter possible attacks from Iran or North Korea.

Moscow has strongly opposed the U.S. plans, saying the missile shield
threatened Russia’s national security and pledged to take adequate measures to
counter the U.S. move.

Russian and U.S. experts have agreed to discuss Washington’s missile defense
plans in Central Europe on the sidelines of a NATO-Russia Council meeting in
April.

Yushchenko said the second stage of the discussion on the missile shield
should involve the development of a common global approach to the issue because
it directly affects collective security.

“In the future, national security policies will be developed on the basis of
a regional or global approach to collective security,” Yushchenko said, adding
that it is the most reasonable answer to all controversial security issues.

It is also important to consider the positions taken by Poland and the Czech
Republic, the two countries that were initially approached by the U.S. with
missile shield placement proposals.

Both countries, which are former Central European Soviet allies and now
members of the European Union and NATO, reaffirmed in February their willingness
to allow the U.S. to place elements of its missile shield on its territory.

Yushchenko also said that Ukraine is willing to consider all views on the
issue and give a response that would be most appropriate in line with the
country’s national interests.

“It is important that our neighbors understand this nuance – it is a
sovereign right of any nation to form its sovereign defense and security
policy,” Yushchenko said.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of State said Ukraine was one of the
countries with whom Washington was cooperating on the missile shield, but people
in the former Soviet nation, particularly in the pro-Russian east of the
country, have opposed any involvement.

However, Yushchenko reiterated Wednesday that an effective European or global
missile-defense network should be developed in the future to guarantee the
protection of nations against “unsanctioned actions” or “uncontrolled missile
threats.”

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Yushchenko will not change foreign policy of Ukraine

News / 21 March 2007 | 16:03

President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko declares invariability
of the foreign policy of Ukraine. The President told today introducing new minister
Arseny Yatsenyuk in Foreign Ministry of Ukraine.

“I ask you daily and regularly confirm this to make
our neighbours and partners see those principles, which have been formed at the
heart of the foreign policy. They are stable and strategic,” the President
said.  

The President decreed to dismiss Yatsenyuk from the
post of the first deputy Secretariat Chief of Staff / President’s representative
in the Cabinet.

With his other decree the President assigned Yatsenyuk
to the composition of the National Security and Defense Council.

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The court released Lutsenko

News / 21 March 2007 | 15:20

Lutsenko’s
lawyer Yuriy Martynenko said that Podol’sky district court suspended pre-trail
investigation of the General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine on criminal process
concerning Yuriy Lutsenko for clarification of its institution.

According
to him, the complaint on the decision of the General Prosecutor’s Office was submitted
yesterday to Podol’sky district court. That’s why the court suspended the
investigation.

After
interrogation in the Main Investigation Department Lutsenko reported that
investigation actions were held up, he is free man now.

“Any investigation proceedings on farfetched politically motivated case
against Lutsenko are stopped. And I went out from the Main Investigation
Department and now I am a free man,” Lutsenko said.

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Yushchenko removed Kinakh from NSDC

News / 21 March 2007 | 14:50

President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko has removed the
new-appointed Economy Minister Anatoly Kinakh from the composition of the National
Security and Defense Council.

The corresponding decree has been signed on March 21,
2007, president’s press office reported.

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Kinakh’s deputies didn’t take a decision about leaving “Our Ukraine”

News / 21 March 2007 | 14:23

Minister
of Economy of Ukraine Anatoliy Kinakh said to parliamentary journalists that he
doesn’t know yet, if his group of deputies leaves “Our Ukraine.”

He
pointed out that the deputies didn’t take a decision about leaving “Our
Ukraine.”

The
Minister is sure that those deputies, who represent the Party of Industrials
and Entrepreneurs of Ukraine in the Parliament, will vote according to their
understanding of Ukrainian national interests.

According to Kinakh, everything that he will do at his new position
will be done for the strengthening the position of the President and Ukraine.

 

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