Building Democracy in Ukraine
Gallegly Schedules Wednesday Hearing  

BACKGROUND: U.S. policymakers view the election of reformist President Viktor Yushchenko, who took office in January 2005, as an important victory for democracy in the post-Soviet countries. In April, President Yushchenko met with President Bush in Washington, and the two leaders agreed to spread democracy in the region, pledging to fight terrorism, weapons proliferation, and HIV/AIDS in Ukraine. The U.S. pledged to assist Ukraine in achieving its current foreign policy priority of joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2005. The Administration also called for “immediately” ending the application of the Jackson-Vanik amendment to Ukraine, granting the country permanent Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status. However, Congressional approval of this proposal may be complicated by several obstacles, including U.S.-Ukraine trade disputes and concerns of U.S. Jewish groups about Ukraine’s record on restoring Jewish communal property to its owners. In addition to providing the Subcommittee with an update on the overall state of U.S.–Ukraine relations, the hearing will provide a more detailed focus on specific areas such as economic and political reform in Ukraine, the application of the Jackson-Vanik amendment and the hurdles to granting permanent Normal Trade Relations status, WTO accession, the likelihood and timetable for Ukraine to join NATO, and Ukraine's relations with Russia and its other neighbors. 

WHAT:                             Subcommittee Oversight Hearing:
                                          Ukraine: Developments in the Aftermath of the Orange Revolution
                                          Subcommittee on Europe and Emerging Threats
                                          U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-CA), Chairman

WHEN:                             1:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 27, 2005

WHERE:                           Room 2255 Rayburn House Office Building

WITNESSES:                   Panel I:
                   Daniel Fried,
                   Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs,
                   U.S. Department of State (Former Ambassador to Poland);
                   Panel II:
                   Taras Kuzio, Ph.D.,
                   Visiting Professor, Institute for European and Eurasian Studies, George Washington University;
                   Nelson C. Ledsky, Senior Associate and Regional Director, Eurasia,
                   National Democratic Institute
                   (Former American Negotiator in Germany and Special Coordinator for Cyprus); and
                   Stephen B. Nix,
                   Regional Program Director, Eurasia, International Republican Institute.