Sergei Evtushenko: Ukraine’s Vote Has Become Decisive In Adopting UN Resolution on Belarus :: Charter'97 :: News

Last Thursday the UN Commission on Human Rights passed a resolution condemning the Belarusian regime for regular violations of human rights. Our closest neighbour, Ukraine, voted for the resolution as well. The new democratic leadership demonstrated the new approach not only in the home policy, but in the foreign policy as well. Today the advisor of the Foreign Affairs Minister of Ukraine, Executive Director of the Euroatlantic Cooperation Sergei Evtushenko answers the questions of the Charter’97 press center.

- Sergei, just several months have passed after the victory of the Orange revolution in Ukraine. Without exaggeration, the whole world was following closely the first steps of the Ukrainian government. Special hopes are pinned on the democratic changes in brotherly Ukraine in Belarus. On Thursday Ukraine has supported the UN Commission on Human Rights resolution, condemning infringement of human rights in Belarus. Could you comment on this fact? What does this vote means for Ukraine itself? What has changed in the foreign policy of your country?

- Ukraine has changed radically over the recent years. Orange revolution has become a shaping factor not only in relations of the outside world to our country, but first of all in the approach of the Ukrainians toward themselves, in their self-respect, in increased patriotism, certainty that the path chosen by the country is right. The ruling elite of the country has been replaced completely, gradually the changes are taking place in almost all spheres of the society’s life. The changes inside the society could not but cause the changes in the foreign policy, which is becoming unambiguously pro-European and a very ambitious one. The new foreign minister of Ukraine Borys Tarasyuk, to my mind, is highly professional in the sphere of foreign relations and diplomacy in particular, and also a man devoted to the ideals of democracy and freedom.

To my great satisfaction, by changing its long-term loyal position towards the totalitarian regime of Lukashenka Ukraine has simply confirmed its position as a country sincerely respecting and supporting the Belarusian people in their intention to build an open and free democratic society in their country. The vote in the UN Commission on Human rights in particular has become the first evidence on the new foreign policy course of the country. During the vote when the question of putting the issue on the agenda, the vote of Ukraine had decisive, despite of the enormous pressure of the Russians and other delegations of the CIS countries.

Ukraine has made the authorities of Belarus understand that from now on the questions of situation with democracy, rights and freedoms in this country are to play an important role in bilateral relations. And it is just the beginning of our new policy, as Ukrainian civil society would demand the government to continue advocating the ideals of Maidan not only inside the country, but to show solidarity to the Belarusian people, who are so close to us.

- The resolution contains a requirement to investigate the cases of forcible abductions and assassinations of political opponents of recent regime and a journalist. The assassination of journalist Heorgiy Gongadze was solved in Ukraine recently. Thus a direct dependence between absence of progress in investigation of politically motivated crimes and holding office by persons suspected of masterminding these crimes is obvious. In this connection how could Ukraine contribute to solving analogous crimes in Belarus?

- You know, Gongadze’s case is being discussed for about 5 years already. It seemed that all the threads for solving the crime are lost, all the witnesses “neutralized”. Kuchma and his ministers were doing everything possible to cover up their traces and to reduce the case to an absurdity. But as soon as the new authorities have started in investigate Gongadze case, the concrete results were achieved. The Interior Ministry and the prosecutor’s Office needed less than 2 months to state that the case is solved. And the fact of suicide of Yuri Kravchenko, ex-minister of the interior Affairs of Ukraine in Kuchma time, the day before the questioning in connection with Gongadze case, to my mind, shows the involvement of the highest officials of the state to the assassination of the journalist.

So the contribution of Ukraine, as well as the contribution of the whole open world community, should be in promoting democratic changes in Belarus, so that you could detect the awful crimes against your people yourselves.

But taking into consideration the experience of Ukraine, Georgia, Serbia and many other countries, one could predict that finally all the persons involved in these atrocities, would answer in international or national court. Would it be tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, but the Belarusian nation is to name the assassins themselves.