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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

Richard Morningstar: “We came to Ukraine for the long haul and seriously”

13 November, 2012 - 00:00

Ukraine is experiencing very serious economic hardships, so it is necessary to take decisive steps to prevent a financial crisis in the future, US Ambassador and Special Presidential Adviser Richard Morningstar stated at a news conference summing up his visit to Ukraine. The visit’s principal goal was coordinating the US research mission under the US government Kharkiv Initiative project ending in Kharkiv June 18.

This project was begun in March 1998, during State Secretary Madeline Albright’s visit to Kyiv. At the time the Ukrainian Cabinet made the decision canceling Kharkiv turbines supplies for the Bushehr nuclear power station in Iran. This created certain problems for the Turboatom Association and Kharkiv industrial region in general. Mrs. Albright promised to help Kharkiv and the current mission was a logical step in this direction. The Kharkiv Initiative, however, reaches considerably farther than Turboatom, Mr. Morningstar emphasized.

The US research mission mainly concentrated on small and medium business in Ukraine. According to the Ambassador, EBRD will open credit lines this summer to finance small business, and the US Agency for International Development will act in the same direction. An office will open in Kharkiv to work out loan agreements. In addition, the Newbiz-net program will provide for the training of 2,000 Kharkiv business people, along with increased subsidies for various business research projects. The Research and Technology Center of Ukraine has announced that new research financing will be increased from two to six million dollars. The US Civic Research Fund will assist small businesses with the introduction of new technologies.

 

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