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Serhiy HOLOVATY: The West should objectively understand that there are interesting alternatives among Ukrainian presidential candidates 

20 April, 00:00

"In fact, it is best for the development of democracy in Ukraine that President Kuchma not be reelected," stated People's Deputy and President of the Ukrainian Legal Foundation Serhiy Holovaty in his paper at the Trilateral Commission annual conference. Far from signifying the triumph of the democratic process in Ukraine, a Kuchma victory would only continue the profanation of the very ideas of reform and democracy in the people's eyes, for the weak and corrupt regime he leads is incapable of choosing between the Belarusian and Polish models of societal development. Thus, the West should objectively understand that among Ukraine's presidential candidates there are interesting alternatives on both the Left and Right. It is also in the West's interest to continue to pressure the Ukrainian leadership. According to Mr. Holovaty, responses to his talk ranged from shouts of "bravo" to complete rejection of everything he said. Among those in the audience particularly interested in his presentation were Henry Kissinger and Former German Economy Minister Count Otto von Lambsdorff. Among his opponents was Zbigniew Brzezinski, who is one of the initiators of the idea that the US and West continue to Ukraine no matter what.

In any case, according to Mr. Holovaty, thanks to his presentation in the future the Trilateral Commission will pay substantially more attention to Ukraine and for the first time in its 25 year history has placed the Ukrainian question on its order of the day.

Mr. Holovaty told The Day that, far from fearing the publication of his paper in the Ukrainian press, he hopes his views will not be seen as some sort of export commodity but will raise the consciousness of Ukrainian society, and precisely for this reason he turned to The Day.

Read text of Mr. Holovaty's paper on page Day after Day.

Newspaper output №:

№15, (1999)

Section

Day After Day