Focus on Ukraine, August 11-17, 2008
The Democratic Initiatives Foundation follows political events in Ukraine with the aim of monitoring the pre-election promises of the country’s leading political forces that won seats in the parliament as a result of the early elections to the Verkhovna Rada on September 30, 2007. The monitoring is conducted within the framework of the project “Where are our political leaders taking us?”
August 11
Georgia submitted a claim to the International Criminal Court
in The Hague with allegations against Russia for genocide of the
Georgian nation.
There are documented facts of genocide of the Georgian people
during the war in Abkhazia from 1992 to this day, including the
actions initiated by the government of Russia. Georgia had the
intention of filing a suit to the European Court of Human Rights in
Strasbourg for Russia’s attack on Southern Ossetia.
Former US Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke stated that Russia attacked Georgia with the aim of overthrowing the government and Russian Premier Vladimir Putin says the next target is Ukraine.
August 12
Vadym Prystaiko, Assistant Director of the NATO Department of
Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that the membership
of Georgia in NATO would afford the country the opportunity to
avoid a conflict with Russia.
He said, “If Georgia was a member of NATO, such a country as large
as Russia would have thought twice about its actions.”
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili declared that Georgia
has decided to withdraw from the Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS) and called on Ukraine to follow its example.
“We call on Ukraine and other countries to withdraw from the CIS,
over which Russia plays a dominating role,” Saakashvili stated.
President of the Chachavadze Gigi Teladze Georgian National
University stated in a Kyiv-Tbilisi tele-conference, More than 200
Georgian citizens were killed in the Georgian-Russian
conflict.
Chairman of the Georgian Central Election Committee Lyevan
Tarkhnishvili predicted that if a public opinion poll was held
amongst the Georgian population regarding their country’s
membership in NATO, the number of votes given in favor would be
higher than during the referendum held in January of this year.
August 13
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili agreed to the peace
plan proposed by France’s President Nicola Sarkozy.
The last clause of the plan calling for international talks on the
future status of Southern Ossetia and Abkhazia was retracted upon
the instruction of Saakashvili, who underscored that no peace
treaties can cast doubt on the territorial integrity of
Georgia.
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said the situation
in Georgia will not have an impact on Ukraine’s expectations of
being accepted to the NATO Membership Action Plan.
Scheffer noted that Ukraine and Georgia are not part of a “package
deal” of MAP, saying” The assessment will be made separately.”
President Viktor Yushchenko approved the procedure for military
servicemen, the navy and air force of the Russian Black Sea Fleet
stationed on the territory of Ukraine crossing the national border
of Ukraine.
The procedure calls for the high command of the Russian Black Sea
Fleet sending a corresponding communiqué to the Armed Forces of
Ukraine and the Headquarters of the Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
regarding the navy and air force of Russia crossing the border of
Ukraine no later than 72 hours in advance.
August 14
Commander of the headquarters of Foreign Affairs of Russia Anatoly Nohovitsyn said the demands of the president of Ukraine regarding a special procedure for the withdrawal of Russian ships from the port of Sevastopol are illegitimate.
General of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Serhiy Kyrychenko announced that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are executing the decree of President Viktor Yushchenko regarding the transference of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
The Georgian parliament unilaterally voted in favor of Ukraine’s withdrawal from the Commonwealth of Independent States, blaming Russia for starting a war.
August 15
Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves feels that Russia’s attack on Georgia should convince members of NATO of the need for immediately accepting Georgia and Ukraine to the Alliance. He said, “They should accept Ukraine and whatever is left of Georgia to NATO.”
By virtue of his decree, President Viktor Yushchenko implemented the decision of the National Security and Defense Council on guaranteeing the operation of the Odesa-Brody pipeline in the direction of Western Europe.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that the agreement
about the future accession of Georgia and Ukraine to NATO remains
in tact.
Merkel said that Georgia and Ukraine will be accepted as members of
NATO upon their desire.
The German chancellor added that the next step for these countries
on the path to acceding to the organization is the implementation
of the Membership Action Plan.
August 16
President Viktor Yushchenko sent a letter to Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev proposing to urgently sign an agreement
on regulating the military use of the Black Sea Fleet based in
Crimea.
Yushchenko reminded that more than 30 naval ships and 80 airplanes
and helicopters are on the base, which is an “extraordinarily
powerful grouping”.
- May 19, 2008
Focus on Ukraine, May 12 – 18, 2008 - May 26, 2008
Focus on Ukraine, May 19-25, 2008 - June 2, 2008
Focus on Ukraine, May 26-June 1, 2008 - June 9, 2008
Focus on Ukraine, June 2-8, 2008 - June 16, 2008
Focus on Ukraine, June 9-15, 2008 - June 23, 2008
Focus on Ukraine, June 16-22, 2008 - June 30, 2008
Focus on Ukraine, June 23-29, 2008 - July 7, 2008
Focus on Ukraine, June 30-July 6, 2008 - July 14, 2008
Focus on Ukraine, July 7-13, 2008 - July 21, 2008
Focus on Ukraine, July 14-20, 2008
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