DATE=12/25/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243504
TITLE=RUSSIA / UKRAINE (L ONLY)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO: RUSSIA'S LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT, THE DUMA, HAS RATIFIED
A LONG-DELAYED FRIENDSHIP TREATY WITH UKRAINE. VOA MOSCOW 
CORRESPONDENT PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS RUSSIAN LAWMAKERS ARE HOPING
THE ACCORD WILL DISCOURAGE ITS WESTERN NEIGHBOR FROM DEVELOPING 
CLOSER TIES WITH NATO.

TEXT: THE DUMA VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE TREATY FRIDAY BY A 244 TO 30
MARGIN. THE DECISION CAME AFTER HOURS OF HEATED DEBATE ABOUT THE 
THORNY AND SOMETIMES EMOTIONAL ISSUES DIVIDING THE TWO FORMER 
SOVIET REPUBLICS. 

THE TREATY WAS SIGNED IN MAY 1997 AND WAS OVERWHELMINGLY RATIFIED
BY UKRAINE'S PARLIAMENT LAST JANUARY. BUT THE COMMUNIST BLOC -- 
THE LARGEST FACTION IN THE DUMA -- HAD BALKED AT APPROVAL, 
DEMANDING UKRAINE END ITS INVOLVEMENT WITH NATO. 

UKRAINE HAS BEEN COOPERATING WITH THE ATLANTIC ALLIANCE THROUGH 
THE PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE PROGRAM. THAT COOPERATION HAS ANGERED 
RUSSIAN NATIONALISTS OPPOSED TO NATO'S EASTWARD EXPANSION. 

NATIONALISTS, INCLUDING MOSCOW'S POWERFUL MAYOR YURI LUZHKOV, 
QUESTION UKRAINE'S SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE PREDOMINANTLY ETHNIC 
RUSSIAN CRIMEAN PENINSULA. THE CRIMEA WAS FORMERLY A RUSSIAN 
PROVINCE, BUT WAS GIVEN TO UKRAINE IN THE 1950S BY FORMER SOVIET 
LEADER NIKITA KRUSHCHEV. 

IN A SPEECH TO THE DUMA FRIDAY, FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV 
URGED LAWMAKERS TO PUT ASIDE THEIR TERRITORIAL CLAIM ON THE 
CRIMEA AND RATIFY THE FRIENDSHIP ACCORD IN THE GREATER INTEREST 
OF HALTING NATO EXPANSION. THE TREATY BARS EACH SIDE FROM JOINING
MILITARY OR POLITICAL BLOCS THREATENING THE OTHER.

MR. IVANOV TOLD LAWMAKERS CONTINUED DELAY RISKED STRENGTHENING 
FORCES IN UKRAINE FAVORING EVEN CLOSER RELATIONS WITH NATO.  

THAT CONCERN WAS CLEARLY A FACTOR IN THE DUMA'S OVERWHELMING 
ENDORSEMENT OF THE TREATY.  IN ADDITION, LAWMAKERS PASSED A 
RESOLUTION URGING THE UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT TO STATE CLEARLY THE 
COUNTRY HAS  NO  INTENTION OF JOINING THE WESTERN ALLIANCE.

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT LEONID KUCHMA FRIDAY HAILED THE DUMA'S 
RATIFICATION AS BEING IN THE INTERESTS OF BOTH COUNTRIES. 
(SIGNED)

NEB/PFH/KL

25-Dec-98 10:53 AM EST (1553 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.