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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

Once More on Love

13 November, 2012 - 00:00

Ukraine usually behaves in the international arena like an obedient child with such examples as nuclear disarmament, participation in international sanctions against Yugoslavia, declaration of the forthcoming closure of the Chornobyl nuclear power station, and the recent decision on non-participation in the Russian-Iranian Bushehr nuclear power plant contract. All these steps were taken under pressure from the international community — primarily from the US.

On the one hand, the choice made invariably incurred losses. Take nuclear weapons. Ukraine was once directly involved in their development and has now parted with them almost free. As for sanctions, they have long been over and no one seems prepared to reimburse Ukraine’s expenses. Likewise, the bulk of the Chornobyl expenses will also be borne by Ukraine. Moreover, US Special Presidential Adviser and Deputy Secretary of State Richard Morningstar stated in Kharkiv the other day that there will be problems with compensations for Kharkiv Turboatom’s non-participation in the Iranian deal, although previously, in a TV bridge with the Ukrainian media, he declared that the US government would make every effort to make amends. In this case, Ukraine is likely to sustain $5 million worth of direct and $130 million in indirect losses, according to Turboatom. As a result, further Ukrainian-Iranian contracts and Russian orders at Ukrainian enterprises are questionable.

On the other hand, the above four decisions won Kyiv certain indisputable advantages. If Ukraine had retained nuclear arms, the West would simply have refused to negotiate any deals; without deciding to close Chornobyl no loans would be forthcoming, and without refusing to take part in the Iranian deal Ukraine would not be likely to join the Rocket Technology Control Procedures and would be thus barred access to commercial space launches.

True, Western partners now and then resort to arm-twisting methods with regard to Ukraine. A very unpleasant experience, just as it is unpleasant to watch Kyiv surrender positions without even trying to bargain and secure some guarantees from its partners, even promises. Ukraine is loved, but like a child. Often due to its leadership which does not always take a stand or change it adequately to a given situation (as was the case with Turboatom).

Obviously, this love will last as long as domestic changes continue to take place under pressure from without. After all, Mr. Morningstar and IMF officials had good reason to greet the President’s series of economic edicts recently.

It must hard for a post-Soviet country to learn to respect itself and retain dignity in critical situations. Or maybe no one has really tried, because national self-respect and dignity were practically nonexistent in the Soviet Union.

 

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