[Ohio UZO News] WP editorial; AP; Note; CSCE

[Deychak, Orest]

The Washington Post (Lead Editorial)

Democracy Disinvited
What might Russian President Putin have to hide from election monitors?

Thursday, November 1, 2007

THERE'S NO doubt that the ticket led by Russian President Vladimir Putin
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Vladimir+Putin?tid=info
rmline>  will win a landslide victory in December's parliamentary
elections. Mr. Putin is genuinely popular. Also, his government
dominates the media, which saturate the country with his propaganda. And
serious opposition candidates have been excluded from the ballot. So why
is Mr. Putin afraid of international election monitors?

After weeks of stalling, Moscow
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Moscow?tid=informline>
told the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Organization+for+Securi
ty+and+Co-operation+in+Europe?tid=informline>  this week that it would
be allowed to send no more than 70 observers to monitor the vote,
compared with 450 in the 2003 election. The time frame of the mission
will also be curtailed: Normally, OSCE observers arrive months in
advance, but this year they will have at best a few weeks. An OSCE
spokesman called the restrictions "unprecedented" and said that they
"may seriously limit the possibility for a meaningful observation."

One reason for the shutdown is straightforward: The Kremlin
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Moscow+Kremlin?tid=info
rmline>  didn't appreciate the OSCE's frank assessment of the last
elections, which were called "fundamentally unfair" by the head of the
observer mission. But Mr. Putin also seems to have a larger agenda. The
OSCE is a Cold War-era organization composed of 56 nations in Europe
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Europe?tid=informline>
, North America
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/North+America?tid=infor
mline>  and Central Asia
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Central+Asia?tid=inform
line> ; its most useful mission in recent years has been carrying out
rigorous election monitoring, especially in newly democratic countries.
Its critiques of electoral fraud in Ukraine
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Ukraine?tid=informline>
in 2004 and Kyrgyzstan
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Kyrgyzstan?tid=informli
ne>  the next year helped prompt pro-democracy revolutions in those
countries.

Mr. Putin is probably not too worried about such an uprising in Russia
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/related/topic/Russia?tid=informline>
. But he'd like to ensure that other former Soviet republics dominated
by pro-Moscow autocrats are not hindered in rigging elections. His
government has submitted a proposal to the OSCE that would neuter the
election monitoring body, limiting all observer missions to 50 persons
and prohibiting reports from being released without Russian agreement.
Sadly, the OSCE looks like a soft target for the Kremlin's hardball
diplomacy. Its current chairman, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel
Moratinos, has kept quiet about these brazen demands while trying to
strike a deal with the Kremlin.

Then, too, Mr. Putin may also have a little rigging of his own in mind.
The Post's Peter Finn was told by a current member of parliament that
Russian regional governors, who are appointed by the president, have
been instructed to deliver no less than 70 percent of the vote for Mr.
Putin's United Russia party. That would elect a parliamentary bloc large
enough to change the constitution -- and, perhaps, remove the limit on
presidential terms that requires Mr. Putin to leave office next spring.
If the president's men decide to stuff a ballot box or three in pursuit
of their 70 percent quotas, a crippled OSCE mission isn't likely to
catch them.

[Note:  In striking contrast to the 100 observers invited by Russia (the
70 number mentioned in the Post editorial doesn't include OSCE
parliamentarians who were invited), the OSCE had over 700 observers at
the recent parliamentary elections in Ukraine, a country with one-third
the population of Russia. Ukraine warmly welcomed OSCE and other
international observers and certainly didn't play games trying to
severely limit the numbers.  OD]

AP

EU GEN Ukraine Web Attack; Ukraine's president's site attacked; Russian
nationalist group claims responsibility 

30 October 2007

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) - Hackers from several countries launched a massive
attack and temporarily disabled the Web site of Ukraine's
Western-leaning President Viktor Yushchenko, his office said Tuesday. A
Russian nationalist group claimed responsibility. 

The attacks from servers in Russia, Britain, Kazakhstan, the United
States, Israel and Ukraine began Sunday night and continued through
Tuesday afternoon, the presidential press service told The Associated
Press. 

Over 18,000 attacks have been carried out, temporarily blocking access
to the site. The Web page could not be accessed Tuesday night. 

A radical Russian nationalist youth group, the Eurasian Youth Movement,
claimed responsibility for the attacks in their blog, saying it was
their retaliation for Yushchenko's office's alleged attack of their on
Web site, which had been disabled. 

The group called Yushchenko's government a "fascist regime" and accused
it of attacking the organization's Moscow office. Yushchenko's office
denied the claims. 

The Eurasian Youth Movement is strongly critical of the West and opposes
what it calls a U.S. encroachment on Russia's traditional sphere of
influence. 

The group has opposed Yushchenko's campaign to bring Ukraine into the
European Union and NATO, considering the former Soviet republic part of
Russia's area of influence. Its leader, Alexander Dugin, has been barred
from entering Ukraine. 

Earlier this month, the group claimed responsibility for desecrating a
monument to Ukraine's independence erected on top of the country's
highest mountain -- an act that drew condemnation from Ukrainians. 

Note to Americans on this list, especially Ukrainian-Americans:

Please take a few minutes and contact YOUR Congressperson as soon as
possible and simply - and briefly -- ask him or her to cosponsor H. Res.
713 congratulating the Ukrainian people for holding free, fair, open and
transparent elections on September 30 and expressing Congressional
support for Ukraine. We need additional cosponsors if this resolution is
to be adopted in the House of Representatives.  See list of the current
25 cosponsors in italics right below to see if your Congressperson has
already cosponsored.  If not, click on the following link for
information on how to very easily contact your Representative via phone
or e-mail -- even if you do not know his or her name:
http://www.house.gov/writerep <http://www.house.gov/writerep> . It's not
that hard or time-consuming to do, folks! There are still
Representatives with significant numbers of Ukrainian-Americans in their
districts in states such as Ohio, Illinois, New Jersey, New York,
Maryland, Virginia and others who are not yet cosponsors.  Members often
don't cosponsor legislation unless they hear from their constituents.

 

 

H. Res.713

Sponsor:  Alcee Hastings (D-FL)  Cosponsors:  Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD),
Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Louise McIntosh Slaughter (D-NY), Joseph R.
Pitts (R-PA), Robert B. Aderholt (R-AL), G.K Butterfield (D-NC), Hilda
L. Solis(D-CA) , Marcy Kaptur(D-OH), Donald M. Payne (D-NJ), Carolyn C.
Kilpatrick (D-MI), Doris O. Matsui (D-CA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Sander
Levin (D-MI), Corinne Brown (D-FL), Allyson Schwartz (D-PA), Robert
Wexler(D-FL), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Gregory Meeks(D-NY), Jim
Gerlach (R-PA), Diane Watson (D-CA), Eliot L. Engel (D-NY), Gary L.
Ackerman (D-NY), Joe Sestak (D-PA) Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Roy Blunt
(R-OH)

 H.RES.713

Whereas the International Election Observation Mission led by the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (`OSCE'), led by
parliamentarians of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly,... (Introduced in
House)

HRES 713 IH 

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. RES. 713

Congratulating the Ukrainian people for the holding of free, fair, open
and transparent parliamentary elections on September 30, 2007, in a
peaceful manner consistent with Ukraine's democratic values and national
interest, in keeping with its commitments as a participating State of
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 

October 4, 2007

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida (for himself, Mr. HOYER, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr.
SMITH of New Jersey, Ms. SOLIS, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. ADERHOLT, Ms.
KAPTUR, Ms. MATSUI, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. PAYNE,
and Mr. PITTS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

________________________________

RESOLUTION

Congratulating the Ukrainian people for the holding of free, fair, open
and transparent parliamentary elections on September 30, 2007, in a
peaceful manner consistent with Ukraine's democratic values and national
interest, in keeping with its commitments as a participating State of
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. 

Whereas the International Election Observation Mission led by the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (`OSCE'), led by
parliamentarians of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, declared the
September 30 2007 pre-term parliamentary elections in Ukraine were
conducted mostly in line with OSCE commitments and other international
standards for democratic elections and in an open and competitive
environment; 

Whereas voting was conducted in an orderly and transparent manner and
International Election Observation Mission observers assessed the voting
process as good or very good in 98 percent of the nearly 3,000 polling
stations visited, notwithstanding some shortcomings, notably with
respect to the quality of voter lists; 

Whereas the vote count was assessed as good or very good in 94 percent
of the International Election Observation Mission reports; 

Whereas the Ukrainian people, most spectacularly during the Orange
Revolution of 2004, demonstrated their ability to resolve political
differences through nonviolent protest and in a manner consistent with
democratic principles; 

Whereas, despite the real democratic gains made by the Ukrainian people
since the Orange Revolution, serious political disputes between
President Victor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Victor Yanukovich, rooted
in weak constitutional delineations of their powers, resulted in a
political crisis earlier this year; 

Whereas after weeks of tense standoff, agreement was reached on May 27,
2007 among the President, Prime Minister and parliamentary chairman
stipulating new parliamentary elections for September 30; 

Whereas the United States Congressional delegation to the 16th annual
session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Kyiv received assurances
from President Yushchenko and other prominent Ukrainian officials that
Ukraine would not backtrack on the path to political reform and good
governance; and 

Whereas the United States Congress has consistently demonstrated strong
bipartisan support for an independent, democratic Ukraine: Now,
therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) congratulates the people of Ukraine for holding free, fair, open and
transparent parliamentary elections on September 30, 2007, in a peaceful
manner consistent with Ukraine's democratic values and national
interest, in keeping OSCE standards on democratic elections;

(2) welcomes the strong relationship formed between the United States
and Ukraine since the restoration of Ukraine's independence in 1991 and
especially following the 2004 Orange Revolution;

(3) expresses strong and continuing support for the efforts of the
Ukrainian people to build upon the democratic gains of the Orange
Revolution by strengthening respect for human rights and the rule of
law, including an independent judiciary;

(4) recognizes that the consolidation of democracy and the rule of law,
and combating corruption, in Ukraine will further strengthen its
independence and sovereignty, enhancing Ukraine's aspirations for full
integration with the West and serving as a positive role model for other
post-Soviet countries;

(5) calls for the timely formation of a government that reflects the
will of Ukrainian voters and advances political stability and democratic
development, with a special focus on the constitutional framework, in
order to address the important issues facing Ukraine; and

(6) pledges its continued assistance to the further development of a
free and transparent democratic system in Ukraine based on the rule of
law, a free market economy and consolidation of Ukraine's security and
sovereignty.

 

 

Dear Colleague:

 

Please join me in supporting democratic processes and the rule of law in
Ukraine by cosponsoring H. Res. 713, congratulating the Ukrainian people
for holding free, fair and transparent elections on September 30. This
resolution is a demonstration of Congress' interest, concern, and
support for Ukraine as that strategically important country perseveres
towards full democracy and the rule of law. 

 

A political dispute between Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko and
Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich -- rooted in weak constitutional
delineations of their powers -- resulted in a political crisis earlier
this year.  After weeks of tense standoff, an agreement was reached
calling for early elections to be held on September 30.  

 

Ukraine has made important progress since the 2004 Orange Revolution,
but its democratic institutions and the rule of law are still emerging
and lack in their ability to safeguard democratic gains.  Thus, it is
very significant that the September 30 elections were conducted in a
peaceful, orderly manner and in an open and competitive environment
consistent with Ukraine's commitments as a participating State of the
OSCE. While democratic elections will not, in and of themselves, resolve
all of the challenges facing Ukraine in strengthening the rule of law
and delineating power among branches of government, they are a critical
stepping-stone in Ukraine's democratic development.  

 

Democratic consolidation and the rule of law will enhance Ukraine's
aspirations for full integration with the West and, importantly, serve
as a positive model for other former Soviet countries, many of whom are
in the grip of authoritarianism.    

 

Please have your staff contact Orest Deychakiwsky at the Helsinki
Commission at 5-1901 or e-mail orest.deychak at mail.house.gov regarding
co-sponsorship.

 

Below please find the text of the resolution.  

 

Sincerely,

 /s/

Alcee L. Hastings, M.C.

Chairman

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

 

Helsinki Commission briefing: "The Ukrainian Election:  Implications for
Ukraine's Future Direction", held October 25, 2007 with Ukraine's
Ambassador to US Oleh Shamshur, Former US Ambassador to Ukraine Bill
Miller and IRI's Stephen Nix. 

 

See unofficial transcript:

www.csce.gov <http://www.csce.gov/> , click on Hearings and Briefings

 

See VOA TV clip/article broadcast in Ukraine:

http://www.voanews.com/ukrainian/2007-10-26-voa6.cfm

 

 

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