Arafat Receives Yaroslav the Wise Award

Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma decorated the head of autonomous Palestine Yasir Arafat with a Yaroslav the Wise Order of the First Degree. He was awarded, according to the presidential decree quoted by Interfax Ukraine, «for outstanding services in the cause of peaceful settlement of the Middle Eastern conflict, weighty contribution to the development of the Palestinian statehood, and for strengthening and developing bilateral cooperation between Ukraine and the Palestinian Autonomous State.»

However, the Ukrainian President did not mention how exactly Arafat promoted the development of bilateral relations. Currently they are spoken of not very often, and then more as some future prospect. In any case, there has been no news whatever about any exceptional Ukrainian activity in Middle East.

Still, last spring Kuchma already called Arafat his friend and perhaps the order is a confirmation of this friendship.

Without any prejudice to the right of the President to award leaders dear to him, it comes to mind that Israel has also been involved in the Middle East peace process, and, consequently, it might not be a bad idea to distinguish its leaders, maybe even together with Mr. Arafat.

Or might the order help Ukraine win some small share of Palestinian development contracts?

At the time of signature the response of the official Israel was still not known.

PS: But still it is interesting that the Ukrainian President should decorate a Palestinian leader with a Yaroslav the Wise Order in the First Degree, specifically, «for his weighty contribution to the development of Palestinian statehood,» Will Mr. Arafat in turn give Mr. Kuchma presents for Ukraine's prosperity and his weighty contribution to this cause? Or are we using our friendship with Arafat to intimidate the Americans? Or, perhaps, it is how we are trying to suck up to Russia? Or, as one less than kind anonymous author said with a chuckle, «Maybe the President just wants to pay back Rabynovych?» But the question remains open. The Day 's Tetiana KOROBOVA asked some legislators who had a hard time discussing the matter seriously, «What does this mean?»

Andriy DERKACH:

I have no idea about this, who prepared the decoration and how. Well, in Soviet times they awarded all the fraternal republics that tried to do something somewhere. Maybe Tarasiuk knows better where the interests of our foreign policy lie, for this couldn't have gone through without the Foreign Ministry.

Yuri KARMAZIN:

Our President, given the lack of legal norms on state awards, can do anything he wants at his own discretion. One order to Viakhirev, another to Arafat, As far as I know, thus far nobody in Ukraine has been given a Yaroslav of the First Degree. And I have to understand from this that Arafat has done for Ukraine more than its any praiseworthy Ukrainian citizen. I think this is a fact for the history of medicine.

Pavlo MOVCHAN:

I recall the old days: this is a trend started by Nikita Sergeyevich (Khrushchev) which can be traced even now. I don't understand, what does Arafat have to do with Ukraine and Ukrainian problems? Did we sell him arms? I don't understand the logic of such things. It's just absurd, and the more it goes on, the more absurd it gets. Obviously, the President is losing his political feel.

Mustafa DZHEMILIOV:

Well, if the President gave an order to Crimean Communist leader Leonid Hrach, why shouldn't he give one to Arafat?