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Experts consider the rollback of democracy in Ukraine to be the hindrance for its free trade with the EU.The videoconference Kyiv-Brussels was organized by the Institute of World Policy together with Carnegie Europe (Brussels).
During the DVC, Mr. Philippe Cuisson, Deputy Head of the European Union Bilateral Relations – Europe (non-EU) & Central Asia, head of the negotiating group of the European Commission on a free trade area with Ukraine, Ina Kirsch, representative of the Policy Department of the Directorate-General for External Policies of the Union at the European Parliament, and Olga Shumylo-Tapiola, visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe in Brussels, told how deep, how close and how expensive the free trade area with the European Union in case of Ukraine.
They consider the democratic rollback to hinder the further development of free trade between the EU and Ukraine.

“EU’s member-states are not so worried about the trade competition with Ukraine. They are worried about the democracy and rule of law in Ukraine”, – Mr. Cuisson stated. Ina Kirsch also claimed that the “Association Agreement with Ukraine is to be the deepest document of such type ever signed by the European Union with the third country. At the moment Ukraine does not correspond to Copenhagen criteria. You should persuade national parliaments, so they realize that they need this agreement”.
Mrs. Kirsch, in particular, underlined that parliaments of France, Germany and Netherlands are the most concerned with democratic values and democracy issues. She added that the ratification of the Association Agreement by member-states will probably take no less than two years.

Full transcript of the videoconference “Kyiv – Tbilisi”, organized by the Institute of World Policy on May 24th. The speakers were Kakha Bendukidze, former Minister of Economy of Georgia, the founder of Free University of Tbilisi, and Gia Nodia, Professor, Director of the International School for Caucasus Studies, Ilia State University.

Institute of World Policy held the videoconference with Tbilisi “20 years of Independence: is it enough time to build the European State?”.Ukrainian experts, journalists and youth leaders had an opportunity to discuss the current situation in Ukraine and Georgia with Kakha Bendukidze, former Minister of Economy of Georgia, the founder of Free University of Tbilisi, and Gia Nodia, Professor, Director of the International School for Caucasus Studies, Ilia State University.
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They claimed that the reforms in Georgia can be perfect example of how the country can be modernized within the short period of time.
Answering the questions from the Ukrainian experts, Kakha Bendukidze said that Georgia had managed to create the distinct structure of power, which allowed to reform the economy.
“However, our main task is to liberalize the economy even further”, he claimed.

On suggestion that effectivenes of reforms could provoke Russia in 2008 he argued that these issues are not inter-dependable.
“You may make Russia react agressively without doing anything as well. There are hardly any country that managed to keep the relations with Russia on the stable and good level”, he explained.

Gia Nodia also stressed out the importance of the new North Caucasus strategy of Georgia. “Such soft power and soft impact may have longgoing positive effects’, he said.

Media-club with Giorgi Baramia, the chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia took place on May 23rd in the Institute of World Policy.Giorgi Baramia held the presentation “Occupied Abkhazia, Georgia: Background and Current Situation”, in which he stressed on the Abkhazia’s historical background, occupation of the region and the current status quo.
He stated the Georgian government paid much attention to the development of Abkhazia, supporting various programs in the fields of education, health care, infrastructural projects.
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“The population of Abkhazia realizes that while Georgia is undergoing boosting economic development, Abkhazia is facing big troubles, like high uneployment, high criminal rate. We have to be give a hope for these people, to make them believe in their future”, – Baramia stated.

He is currently paying an official visit to Kyiv and having several meetinhs with the Ukrainian authorities.

“Ukraine truly supports the territorial integrity of Georgia”, claimed Georgi Baramia and added that he believes that Georgia will be reunited soon and the conflict will be peacefully resolved.

The full version of the discussion of the videoconference with WashingtonAvailable only in ukrainian.

Sinan Ulgen, expert of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (Brussels) presented his paper titled “A Place in the Sun or Fifteen Minutes of Fame? Understanding Turkeys’ New Foreign Policy” at the Institute of World Policy.The full transcript of the discussion is available in Ukrainian.

Institute of World Policy has held a videoconference with WashingtonParticipants of the videoconference were Lawrence Silverman, Head of the Department for Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine of the U.S. Department of State, William B. Taylor, former Ambassador of the U.S. to Ukraine, Samuel Charap, Director for Russia and Eurasia of the Center for American Progress, and Katie Fox, deputy director of the Eurasia Department of the National Democratic Institute.

The current state of the U.S.-Ukraine relations were discussed by the prominent experts, diplomats and journalists in Kyiv and Washington. The topic of the event: “Walking and Chewing Gum at the Same Time? Integrating Values and Interests in US-Ukraine Relations.”
According to Katie Fox, the U.S. have not noticed any considerable progress in the democratic development of Ukraine. She claimed that there are political harassments against members of the previous government headed by former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Lawrence Silverman agreed with her and added: “Though Ukraine takes a lead in the democratic development in the region, it is worth noting that there are still a lot to do for the Ukrainian authorities. USA saw considerable problems at local elections in Ukraine and we openly said that to Ukrainian authorities. According to Silverman, the U.S. would like to see more effective progress in the Constitutional reform, in particular.
Much attention was paid to the problem of the FTA with the EU. Lawrence Silverman said that the U.S. trust in the declarations of the Ukrainian government that the Agreement on the Free Trade Area with the EU will be signed by the end of 2011.

According to him participation in the Tariff Union with the Russian Federation does not correspond to the national interests of Ukraine. “Tariff Union does not correspond to the regulation of the WTO. So, Ukraine will suffer if it joins Tariff Union”, he said.

Answering the question whether it is possible that Ukraine joins Tariff Union if Russia becomes a member of the WTO, Samuel Charap stated that the situation may change, but Ukraine will have to decide what is more profitable: to be the member of the Free Trade Area with EU or to join Tariff Union.

The strategic importance of the European integration of Ukraine was underlined by the former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor. “Ukraine’s place is in the European Union”.

The videoconference was held in partnership with Center for American Progress (Washington), within the frameworks of the project supported by the U. S. Embassy in Ukraine.

You can read the full version of the discussion here.

IWP has held the meeting with Sinan Ulgen, expert of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (Brussels) will be held in the Institute of World Policy.Sinan Ulgen has presented the study “A Place in the Sun or Fifteen Minutes of Fame: Understanding Turkey’s New Foreign Policy”.
The publication was produced by Carnegie Europe. Please find the original versions in English and Russian
The event was supported by the Embassy of the USA in Ukraine

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Olexiy Yizhak, an expert of Dnepropetrovsk branch of the Institute for Strategic Studies
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Gareth Vaughan, the Embassy of the USA in Ukraine

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Oleg Kokoshynskiy, Vice-president of atlantic Council of Ukraine

Photo by Natalia Sagalata

A Media Club with Volodymyr Sidenko, Member of the Working group on the preparation of recommendations on enhancing advantages and minimizing negative consequences of the establishment of the Free Trade Area with the EU for Ukraine’s economy took place at the Institute of World Policy.The discussion focused on the advantages and disadvantages of the economic integration of Ukraine wit the European Union under the Free Trade Agreement and the Russian Federation in the framework of the Customs Union.

Participants discussed the risks, which can be faced by Ukraine provided it changes its integration strategy. Also much attention was paid to the gas issue and its impact on the negotiations with the European Union.
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Photo by Natalia Sagalata

The third Cinema-club of the Georgian cinema was held by the Institute of World Policy, during which the Ukrainian audience had an opportunity to watch Teimuraz Babluani’s film “The Sun of the Wakeful ” (1992).Cinema-club took place in the premises of the Embassy of Georgia to Ukraine. The audience was comprised of prominent experts, politicians, diplomats, journalists, among which were Volodymyr Ohryzko, Hennadiy Udovenko, Dmytro Vydrin, Mikhailo Gonchar, Jarabik Balasz, Alexa Chopivski, Viktor Chumack, Olexandr Balanutsa and others. The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to Ukraine Grigol Katamadze greeted the guests and made introductory remarks.

The film “The Sun of the Wakeful” had been shot for 7 years, from 1985 through 1992. It became a metaphorical conclusion of the Georgian cinema art, as well as the socialist way of living in general. This is a touching story of family relations of two generations, which are made because of differences, created by time and changes. It is a pathetic farewell to all these things, that will never happen again.

The event was held within the framework of Ukraine-Georgia thematic panel.
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Grigol Katamadze, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to Ukraine, Viktor Shlinchak, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Institute of World Policy and Viktor Chumack, director of Ukrainian Institute of Public Policy

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Viktor Shlinchak, Jarabik Balazs, Head of PACT Ukraine

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Grigol Katamadze, Henndiy Udovenko, former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
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Volodymyr Ohryzko, ex-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Grigol Katamadze
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Dmytro Vydrin, political analyst
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Alyona Getmanchuk, Director of the Institute of World Policy, Alexa Chopivski, journalist

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Viktor Shlinchak

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Volodymyr Ohryzko, Hennadiy Udovenko
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Mykhailo Honchar, Manager of Energy Programs, of the NOMOS Center

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Alyona Getmanchuk, Viktor Chumack

Photo by Natalia Sagalata