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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Gray Reality

23 February, 1999 - 00:00

By Viktor ZAMYATIN, The Day
With all the insane and interminable discussions about whether Ukraine
should become a full member of the CIS and Interparliamentary Assembly
(which does not make much sense to me personally) one tends to overlook
the main point: seven years of independence. Historically not too long,
mildly speaking, but long enough to expect relationships with Ukraine to
become a top priority for any country anywhere in the world. This has not
happened. For Russia, this world political heavyweight, relationships with
the US, G-7, and European Union are priorities indeed and often these contacts
are on equal terms (as evidenced by Russia's foreign trade turnover). Ukraine's
neighbors - Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia - aim their major contacts in
the direction of Europe and their example is being followed by Romania
(although it would seem logical for the latter to start by establishing
eternally friendly relations with Ukraine, otherwise it is not likely to
be admitted into the European family). Moldova looks to Romania and Russia
for support. Belarus relies on Russia only. Georgia and Azerbaijan are
after Turkey, and so on.

A country claiming leadership in a certain region of the globe while
remaining in the backwater of international contacts has to look ridiculous.
Regrettably, this is true of Ukraine and is vividly demonstrated by the
Russian senators' attitude to the ratification of the so-called Grand Treaty,
struggle for Caspian oil transit to the European markets via Ukraine, and
by the fact that Ukraine's remarks about the "negative consequences of
CE expansion," - visas, trade tariffs, and quotas - are regarded as something
of minor importance.

This and many other things - like the absence of clearly formulated
foreign political priorities and guidelines or consistent measures to protect
Ukrainian interests at the bilateral level and in international forums
- stem from this country's present economic condition. There is no denying
the fact, yet economic hardships cannot suffice in explaining to the Ukrainian
people or anyone else why it was necessary to propose Mr. Berezovsky for
the post of CIS Executive Secretary (considering the undeclared war against
him in Russia); why year in and year out Ukraine turns out to be completely
dependent on Russia, its market, financial condition, even domestic policy,
without taking any steps to overcome this dependence; why the Roman Pope
had to wait for an invitation from Kyiv for so long, and why the President
of a large European state does not feel ashamed of the scandal with the
Council of Europe.

Ukraine's dominant shadow economy, the inability of its functionaries
to play first fiddle at all echelons of power, the undisguised demagoguery
of its politicians at all levels, and purely reflexive looking back at
Moscow when taking every step while hoping for support from Washington
(one is reminded of an old Ukrainian saying about the obedient calf sucking
two cows) - in a word, almost everything today is very much the way it
was in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. The predominant color is
gray: gray eminencies giving orders and political clowns dancing to them.
There can be no true leaders in this stifling atmosphere, just as a "gray"
country cannot be a leader on the international arena. This is an axiom.
So why respect it?

 

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