Tarasiuk Knows What Ukraine Needs to Do
“The dynamics of how Ukraine’s European integration course are being carried out do not correspond to the tasks assigned by the President of Ukraine,” Foreign Minister Borys Tarasiuk said after the conference of Ukrainian ambassadors to European countries. In the Minister’s opinion, there are both objective and subjective reasons for this. In fact, these reasons are well known — The Day has mentioned them quite frequently. Maybe now is the time to make some conclusions.
Actually there is no schedule for Ukraine’s “advancement” to Europe, which is why one should hardly say that it is running late. There are simply some facts that Tarasiuk mentioned. For instance, the fact that, diplomatically speaking, some of the models of the united Europe now actively studied in the structures of the European Union, which Ukraine so aspires to verbally, do not always correspond to its interests. In other words, Ukraine is being told directly or equivocally that there is no place for it in Europe. And though during President Leonid Kuchma’s visit to Germany, the Ukrainian delegation was persuaded that this conclusion made by German and French experts is not the only one possible, EU policies demonstrate that it is still being implemented.
Tarasiuk finally admitted that it is Ukraine’s own unreadiness for European integration and inconsistent foreign policy that create problems. The authorities for the most part declare intentions but do not take concrete steps. Maybe this is a reproach of the Verkhovna Rada leadership or maybe for somebody else. But in any case, it is fair.
Ukraine’s insufficient activity in the European direction mentioned by Tarasiuk could in fact be described as a complete absence of activity. All through the years during which Poland, the Czech Republic, the Baltic states, while having some difficulties and problems but also enjoying success, were able to change their orientation toward trade, economic, and investment cooperation first of all with the West, Ukraine and the Ukrainians have repeated over and over again that they cannot survive without Russia. Though for Russia itself European Union is its main trade partner. No comment.
“We are aware of our shortcomings, and we think that the President’s criticism is fair.” We have to note that in so stating the minister behaved quite courageously. He proclaimed with optimism that he did know what should be done to repair the situation: improve our tactics of European integration, intensify the “informational processing” of the West (incidentally, each of the countries pretending to join EU spends a great deal of money on advertising its image), to bring foreign policy closer into line with the country’s domestic needs, and not to make the Foreign Ministry the only one in charge for the euro-integration process, which is only fair. And, finally, we need to explain to our own people, what European integration is and what we need it for. All these are fine phrases. If only there was somebody besides Tarasiuk to implement all this...
