The leadership of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) held its first official meeting with President of Ukraine Victor Yanukovych in Kyiv on June 21, 2010. Representing Ukraine were President Yanukovych, the Minister of Foreign of Affairs Kostyantyn Gryshchenko and the Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Anna Herman. UWC was represented by President Eugene Czolij and Secretary General Stefan Romaniw.
President Victor Yanukovych opened the meeting by stating, “I really wanted to meet the leadership of the Ukrainian World Congress which I consider to be the leading association of all civic organizations of the Ukrainian Diaspora.”
He spoke about the need to improve cooperation with Ukrainians throughout world and said that he would like to hear what representatives of the Ukrainian Diaspora have to say about the current state of affairs in Ukraine and answer any questions they may have.
UWC President Eugene Czolij spoke about the long relationship between Ukraine and UWC and underlined the need to discuss the principles of previous cooperation. Specifically, he referred to four Memorandums of Cooperation signed between Ukraine and UWC in 2009 and 2010.
UWC President also presented President Victor Yanukovych a Memorandum on important issues that pertain to Ukraine and the Ukrainian Diaspora outlining the following concerns: threat of losing control over strategically important industrial sectors in Ukraine, the agreement on the Black Sea Fleet that prolongs the term Russian military forces will be stationed in Ukraine, importance of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the de facto introduction of a second state language in Ukraine, reports of violations of human rights and freedoms in Ukraine, the Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine as genocide of Ukrainian people, construction of monuments to Stalin in Ukraine, violation of human and national minority rights of Ukrainians in Russia and the unsubstantiated accusations of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists led by Stepan Bandera contained in a European Parliament resolution.
After discussing the issues raised by the UWC, President Victor Yanukovych said that he will provide an official response.
Memorandum on important issues pertaining to Ukraine and the Ukrainian Diaspora (Ukrainian language)
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Report on meeting with UWC on President of Ukraine’s official website |
