Ukrainian Parliament Condemns Terrorist Attacks in the USA
The events of September 11 in the United States have drawn comments from Verkhovna Rada caucuses. The information on these tragic events the Ukrainians get from the media has shocked everyone. Even the Ukrainian Communists, never sympathetic toward the United States, found it necessary to express their concern. “This is a nightmare, a huge tragedy, and I have the feeling of hopelessness,” Communist Verkhovna Rada Deputy Heorhy Kriuchkov told The Day. “Terrorism is a malicious evil, and it is very difficult to root out. If there are people in the world who are ready to sacrifice their lives and those of hundreds of others, this is horrible.” In Mr. Kriuchkov’s opinion, “Due to their great-power policies, the United States has to a certain degree provoked this attack. With discontent toward the US mounting in the world, the terrorists readily cashed on it. But one can hardly justify the terrorists’ attacks by discontent.” he believes that many will take advantage of the situation in the US “to flex their muscles.” He thinks, however, that the US economy will recover rapidly.
Oddly enough, the main concern of media representatives in the parliament was focused on what will happen to the dollar exchange rate and how this will in turn affect the Ukrainian economy. In this context, Reforms and Order Party leader Viktor Pynzenyk believes, “The dollar weakening will not be long, maybe a couple of days.” He is convinced the dollar will basically remain firm and “the Ukrainian economy will just not have time to react.” The only problem that may persist is oil, he said, and “There is reason for panic here, for the United States is a huge importer of oil products. He thinks the Americans will use their oil reserves to quash any panic on the market.
On the contrary, SDPU(o) caucus member and Verkhovna Rada National Security Committee Chairman Borys Andresiuk maintains that the attack-generated political and economic consequences for Ukraine will be considerable. “The terrorists’ political goal was to destabilize the world political situation,” he noted. He is convinced that this is a great tragedy for the American nation, saying at the same time that the US economic losses were not large. The terrorist attacks will affect other countries, and specifically the developing ones, much more, he argued, citing the examples of recent economic crises. He told journalists that, following terrorist attacks in the US, Russia might change its stand toward the payments for fuel Ukraine receives from it. Mr. Andresiuk also maintains that the terrorist attacks have caused the dollar to fluctuate and it has already dropped in Russia. Since Russia’s and Ukraine’s economies are tightly linked with the US currency, this is where the major danger exists, he added. Changes in hryvnia and ruble exchange rates could affect payments for the Russian oil and gas. Thus, Ukraine, in his opinion, could be exposed to negative consequences flowing from the recent events in the US.
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The SDPU(o) voiced its strong condemnation of the terrorists whose attacks caused deaths of innocent people. “We perceive the tragedy that befell the American people as our personal tragedy. You cannot see thousands of people perishing without pain,” the SDPU(o) statement says.
The SDPU(o) statement stresses that the terrorist attacks against the US have yet again proven that even the mightiest countries cannot stand against this plague of the twentieth century on their own. That is why it is so vitally important today to unite efforts in combating extremist organizations.
Expressing deep condolences to the families of victims of the terrorist attacks, SDPU(o) called on the governments of other countries to prevent the spread of extremism in the world and to spare no effort in order to create an effective collective security system to counter all forms of terrorism.
