Between Baghdad and Prague
If Ukraine fails to refute the United States’ allegations regarding its illegal cooperation with Iraq, it might cause a delay in this country’s Euro-Atlantic integration, president of the US Committee on NATO Bruce Jackson told The Day October 1. He added that serious risks now exist for Ukraine’s future. The US expert also stressed that, to restore trust, Kyiv can count only on itself. “First, Ukraine must believe that it wants to go to NATO. Kyiv has to decide on its own whether it wants to go to Minsk or Brussels,” stressed co-chairman of the US, Committee on NATO Julie Finley, commenting on the possibility for strengthening Russian influence on Ukraine in connection with Iraqgate.
An obstacle has appeared in Ukraine’s way to NATO, which could hinder many of its intentions in the field of foreign policy. The US accusation of Ukraine’s illegal arms sales to Iraq coincided with its preparations for the NATO summit in Prague scheduled for November 21. Ukraine was also fighting internal political problems at the same time. Kyiv’s task is anything but easy: on the one hand, convincing its NATO counterparts of its innocence, and, on the other hand, approaching the Prague summit prepared to switch to a higher level in relations with the Alliance.
Meanwhile, the status quo is being preserved: Ukraine is invited to the meeting, and nobody has canceled this invitation so far. A supplement to the Charter on Special Partnership between Ukraine and NATO, planned to be ratified at the summit, is in the process of preparation. However, it is safe to assume that this ratification will depend directly on Brussels’ confidence that the misunderstanding between the US and Ukraine is settled. NATO Secretary General George Robertson said the week before last that the Alliance is waiting for Ukraine to provide explanations. Simultaneously he stressed that the relations between Ukraine and the Alliance are going through a complicated period. Robertson also called on Kyiv to give answers to very serious questions concerning the US claims that Leonid Kuchma gave his personal consent for arms delivery to Iraq. So, Brussels is waiting to see what happens. The Alliance is satisfied with the evidence previously produced by Kyiv. Obviously, major attention will be drawn to Washington’s line in this situation. According to the spokesman of the State Department Richard Baucher, the US is still working on revising its policy towards Ukraine. Director of the NATO Information and Documentation Center in Ukraine Michel Duray corroborated Mr. Robertson’s statement to The Day. He also said that the invitation for Ukraine to Prague is still valid. In his words, the US passed materials to their allies concerning alleged illegal cooperation between Ukraine and Iraq. At present the partners are discussing this information. Mr. Duray failed to answer the question whether the Ukraine-NATO summit would take place if the Alliance receives no evidence that Ukraine is not implicated in delivering the Kolchuha to Iraq before November 21.
Last week the US Assistant Secretary of State Elizabeth Jones visited Kyiv to discuss with Ukraine’s leaders the issue of alleged illegal arms delivery to Iraq. In the words of the US ambassador to Ukraine Carlos Pascual, Ms. Jones’s meetings with Ukrainian authorities were important and useful. The diplomat corroborated the US intention to send experts to Ukraine in the next few weeks. He also said that the Ukrainian side assured Ms. Jones that the US would obtain all information earlier than it expects. Simultaneously Mr. Pascual said that investigating the alleged sales of the Kolchuha to Iraq isn’t easy, thus he could not tell when it would be finished.
Ms. Jones had a meeting with Leonid Kuchma last Tuesday. A major result of the meeting was Ukraine’s readiness for common investigation of Washington’s allegations against this country. In its turn, the American delegation voiced its concern about Ukraine’s possible illegal cooperation with the Saddham Hussein regime. President Kuchma reiterated that Ukraine had never sold arms breaching the UN sanctions and is ready to present necessary information on this subject.
Defense Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Shkidchenko promised to show the Americans places in Ukraine where the Kolchuha radar systems are located. In the words of his secretary Kostiantyn Khivrenko, this will be done as soon as American experts come to Ukraine. During her meeting with Minister Shkidchenko Ms. Jones requested to be given all materials on Kolchuha before October 15.
Oleksandr Kuzmuk, former defense minister, now people’s deputy, said September 30 at the Ukraine-NATO round table, “It is humiliating for us if somebody comes to Ukraine for inspection.” He argued that Kyiv has presented enough documentary evidence on its being not privy to illegal contacts with Baghdad. Kuzmuk drew the audience’s attention to the fact that the United States presented no evidence to support its allegations apart from the Melnychenko tapes. “Experts should go not to Ukraine but Iraq,” the deputy said. At first sight, such a position looks very patriotic. It reminds one of the claims of the lack of patriotism in the allegations against the Ukrainian military of downing the Russian Tu-154 plane over the Black Sea. The negative impact of such policy on the state’s reputation is also well known. Former foreign minister Borys Tarasiuk, now head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on European Integration, holds the opposite opinion. “We should proceed from whether Ukraine has broken international law. Some suspicions exist. Did arms delivery to Iraq take place in reality? Nobody can prove this. Is refuting advantageous for us? Yes. Are pure statements alone enough? No. Let these experts from the US and NATO come [to Ukraine],” Mr. Tarasiuk said, stressing the need for creating an investigative group in parliament. Incidentally, Mr. Tarasiuk said it was “too early” to speak of signing a new document between Ukraine and NATO in Prague.
To all appearances, Kyiv is prepared for compromise and even concessions for the sake of its Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Much depends on Western partners as well.
