28 July 2010
Washington, DC (UNIS) - Several members of the Board of Directors of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), met with various government officials during their visit to Washington, DC on Wednesday, July 21, 2010. The governmental meetings coincided with the observance of the 51st anniversary of Captive Nations Week. Tamara Olexy, President of the UCCA; Roksolana Lozynskyj, Chair of the External Affairs Committee; and, Michael Sawkiw, Jr., Director of the UCCA’s Washington Bureau – the Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS) participated in a commemorative observance marking the 51st anniversary of Captive Nations Week.
Hosted by the Heritage Foundation and its President, Dr. Ed Feulner, a former student of Dr. Lev Dobriansky’s (former President of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America and Chairman of the National Captive Nations Committee) at Georgetown University, a luncheon event was held for various ethnic representatives and organizations working to promote freedoms in the remaining communist countries (People’s Republic of China, North Korea, Laos, Vietnam, and Cuba). Newly-elected Chairman of the National Captive Nations Committee, Michael Ryan, Esq., greeted the participants and offered a certificate to TV talk show host Glenn Beck for his January 2010 expose on communist atrocities throughout the world. Michael Sawkiw, Jr., Director of the Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS) and also NCNC Executive Secretary, read President Obama’s 2010 Captive Nations Week proclamation (proclamation enclosed). Dr. Lee Edwards, Chairman of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (VOCMF) and Public Relations Director of NCNC briefed the participants regarding VOCMF’s recent activities including the Global Museum on Communism’s launching of its newest country exhibit – Ukraine. The on-line museum exhibit can be found at: http://ukraine.globalmuseumoncommunism.org/
Later that afternoon, the UCCA board members were met by UCCA Executive Vice President Andrew Futey at the U.S. Department of State. On the initiative of the UCCA, a briefing session was held with Deputy Assistant Secretary of State (DAS), Dan Russell. Following a brief overview of Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton’s recent visit to Ukraine in the beginning of July 2010, a discussion ensued about the dynamics of the U.S.-Ukraine strategic partnership and the community’s concerns regarding U.S. policy in Ukraine. Many topics were broached including actively engaging U.S. resources to work with non-governmental organizations in Ukraine; enhancing exchanges between Ukraine and the United States in areas of education, culture, science, civic society groups; and, establishing a partnership with Ukrainian community organizations to fulfill the strategic partnership commission’s intent to increase a dialogue with Ukrainian civic-minded organizations. In commenting on the frank and robust discussion, DAS Russell stated: “I look forward to continuing the Department of State’s important relationship with the Ukrainian-American community, and to working together towards our common goal of strengthening the U.S.-Ukraine strategic partnership.”
In the late afternoon hours, the UCCA Executive Board members formally met with Ukraine’s new ambassador to the United States, H.E. Oleksandr Motsyk. Having just arrived in the United States and presenting his credentials at the end of June 2010, Amb. Motsyk was eager to meet with the UCCA to establish a working dialogue on issues affecting U.S.-Ukraine relations, as well as addressing the concerns of the Ukrainian community regarding internal developments in Ukraine. Also providing a Ukrainian perspective on Secretary Clinton’s recent visit to Ukraine, the ambassador thanked the UCCA for its 70 years of service to the Ukrainian American community and its many projects in Ukraine since restoring its independence in 1991 and welcomed their concerns about the future course of U.S.-Ukraine bilateral relations.
UCCA president Tamara Olexy greeted the ambassador on behalf of the UCCA, its member organizations and membership and wished the ambassador success in his duties as Ukraine’s newest envoy to Washington. The UCCA board members engaged the ambassador in a lengthy discussion of internal matters in Ukraine such as use of the Ukrainian language, the recent extension of the Russian Black Sea Fleet lease; Ukraine’s “non-block” status including its relationship with NATO; and, the promotion of democratic institutions in Ukraine. The 90-minute discussion ended with both sides agreeing to continue a dialogue on all issues that concern the Ukrainian community.
In re-capping the day’s event, UCCA President Olexy mentioned, “There is a lot of work ahead of us, whether it be enhancing our relationship with the U.S. State Department and its policy on Ukraine, or with the Ukrainian embassy personnel, we must stand firm in our commitment to the preservation and strengthening of Ukraine’s statehood and democracy. This is our prerogative.”
