US Ambassador’s “peaceful mission”
The fifth US Ambassador to Ukraine, John Herbst, has completed his diplomatic mission. Shortly before Herbst’s departure, President Viktor Yushchenko awarded him the Order of Merit, 3rd degree.
Ukraine is keenly interested in the new, sixth, American ambassador. William Taylor has worked in Iraq and Afghanistan, and coordinated the withdrawal of Israel from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. What lies behind the appointment of such a seasoned diplomat to Ukraine?
A few days ago the newly-appointed US ambassador to Ukraine held his first press conference. Taylor strode into the hall, flashing a happy smile. Everybody saw that he is slender and trim with a telltale military bearing, as Taylor, a graduate of West Point Military Academy, saw service as a US infantry officer in Vietnam and Germany. Yet the diplomat in no way looked like a tightlipped soldier. Taylor apologized for not having learned Ukrainian yet, but he promised to do so.
The ambassador said the US will be continuing to support Ukraine and, to prove it, he announced that his country is allocating $45 million to combat corruption in Ukraine. He is convinced that democratic transformations will continue in Ukraine, especially now that the parliamentary coalition has been formed. President Bush plans to visit Ukraine this year and will cooperate closely with the coalition government.
There were a lot of questions in connection with the recent events in Feodosiya. Taylor stressed that nothing serious happened. In his view, people are still misinformed about these military exercises and NATO’s goals and activities. Therefore, the US Embassy will be sponsoring explanatory and informational efforts, workshops, and roundtable debates. Apparently, the Feodosiya protesters did not know that quite a large budget had been drawn up for this aborted military exercise, which also included social aspects, such as creating new jobs for Crimeans and renovating a stadium, the ambassador noted.
In Taylor’s opinion, Russian Black Sea Fleet bases in the Crimea will not hamper Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic drive because Russia maintains an active dialogue with NATO. Taylor also took a cautious approach to some rather murky points in the Ukrainian-Russian gas deal and the unclear role of Rosukrenergo. On behalf of the US government, he expressed his readiness to help solve the problem of energy supplies to Ukraine.
Asked if he was appointed to Ukraine because he is considered an anti-crisis manager, Ambassador Taylor smiled and said that he has indeed worked in some “hot spots” and is now glad to come to a peaceful country.
