Posted on 11/24/2004 9:34:43 PM PST by FairOpinion
KYIV, Mar. 2 (Ukrainian News) - Major international financier George Soros in a letter published by the Financial Times on Friday called on President Leonid Kuchma to step aside pending the outcome of an official investigation into the murder of journalist Georgy Gongadze.
State prosecutors ruled Gongadze’s death a murder this week after DNA tests showed a 99.9 percent probability that a headless body found in the outskirts of Kyiv last November belonged to the journalist.
The letter from Soros is the latest in high-profile appeals that Ukraine clean up its act with respect to democracy, the rule of law and press freedom.
U.S. President George W. Bush on Friday also sent a sharply-worded verbal message to Ukraine, delivered by United States ambassador to Ukraine Carlos Pasqual.
In the message, the U.S. warns Ukraine that the financial aid that the U.S. has been doling out to the economically-strained ex-Soviet state since it gained independence was at risk due to repressive measures by Ukrainian authorities against democratic processes.
In his letter, entitled "Step Aside, Mr. Kuchma," Soros calls on Kuchma to hand over his duties to Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko while the investigation into Gongadze’s murder goes forward.
"If Mr. Kuchma cares about Ukraine's survival as an independent democratic state, he must take responsibility for his actions and hand over his duties to the Prime Minister ... pending the results of the investigation," Soros said in the letter.
According to Soros, an objective investigation into Gongadze’s murder and other crimes that Kuchma has been accused of was not realistic unless Kuchma stepped aside and allowed the investigation to go forward.
Audio recordings made secretly in Kuchma’s office appear to implicate the president in engineering Gongadze’s disappearance, in addition to other alleged criminal acts.
Soros also said that Kuchma's recent letter to the Financial Times showed that Kuchma "takes any opportunity to lash out at his opponents."
"If Mr. Kuchma remains recalcitrant, continues to harass political opponents and the media and drags his feet on the investigation, he risks relegating Ukraine to the same fate as neighboring Belarus..." Soros said.
In his letter Soros recalled his last meeting with Kuchma. Soros said he was "taken aback by the president's scathing, virulent remarks about Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraine's prime minister, and Yulia Tymoshenko, the former deputy prime minister."
"And later I found myself in the uncomfortable position of urging Mr. Yushchenko to accommodate the president," Soros wrote.
George Soros heads the Open Society Institute, which has held several philanthropic programs in Ukraine in the past few years.
Soros also pointed out in the letter that he had been deeply involved in Ukraine by trying to help it make the transition from a closed to an open society by creating the Ukrainian Renaissance Foundation and giving Ukraine more than $100 million in support.
Read the full text of Soros’s letter published by the Financial Times at http://navigation.helper.realnames.com/framer/1/1/default.asp?realname=Financial+Times&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eft%2Ecom&frameid=1&providerid=1&uid=30013336
I am sure Bush knows, but I am not sure about Powell.
My observation is that the statements released by the White House were very carefully crafted, to approach the situation with the necessary care. Then Powell comes along making a statement, which may or may not have been approved by the White House, declaring the election in Ukraine invalid, but then went on that he talked with the Russian minister and are working on diplomatic resolution.
Yushchenko calling for a strike doesn't sound like a peaceful solution to me. I think the international community may have emboldened the Opposition.
At the first news, Yuschenko said the people would have to take to the streets and fight, while his opponent said he did not want to win on a crafted vote.
It's like Solomon and the two Mothers claiming the child. The real Mother would rather give him up, than to see him hurt, the imposter would rather kill the child, than give him up.
The fact that Yushchenko is inciting civil unrest and even violence, than give up his claim, doesn't speak well of him in my book.
I'm not so sure Yushchenko is for sale. He's the candidate from the socialist party for goodness sakes. He's supported by every leftist group out there, including France, and the Chechen terrorists. He's pledged immediate withdrawal of troops from the War on terror.
I'd say if he was for sale, he's already been bought.
Well I see support for a fair vote count. I think once its shown to be a valid count, and opened up, the US will send its seal of approval. I think that's what the President wants.
Especially as to how the leftist causes are already riled up at our own exit polls, and think that President Bush is out for Global Domination. The President sees it as a chance to show that elections should be free and clean. It has nothing to do with supporting a candidate. I think once again Powell put on his democrat hat and forgot he was speaking for the administration.
Anyway happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all a good night. I'm done, but if you respond, I'll probably reply tomorrow(which is actually today already) or so.
There is no proof that our president is supporting Yuschenko.
Our president supports a fair election, not a candidate.
Get your facts straight or post proof.
Officially Kwasniewski don’t support anyone as well. They are the politicians they cannot say who they support. In fact everyone knows that Poland supporting Yuschenko, maybe except of the populist-communistic party Samoobrona, but their opinion is meaningless. But same fact that they are against Yuschenko is significant.
Where I come from, if you don't have a link or something to back up what you say, you don't post it. If you do, you post it as opinion.
When you don't post it as opinion, then you are indeed the very propaganda master that you accuse Putin of being.
bandit? Everyone in KGB is bandit. And what with his crimes in Chechnya? Arguments that they are Muslims don’t work with me, these Muslims didn’t started but Russians did it long before Beslan. Now his interference in Ukraine elections and whole Yanukovych election campaign It is the next proof of his political burglary.
We know you are a supporter of islamic terrorism here, but what this has to do with my post is beyond me.
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Earlier, you were explaining to the board that you have some kind of contact within the Russian Orthodox church (or perhaps a direct line with Putin) that demonstrates that Putin, despite being the former head of the KGB and communist, is a deeply religious man doing God's work. Kindly post a link to your assertions. For that matter, Yanukovitch is a common criminal. Here is a link to documents regarding his criminal matters:
http://www.ukrpravda.com/archive/2004/november/19/7.shtml
Please note, he is best known as the leader of the Donetsk mafia. His crimes, among others, include rape of a 16 year old girl. This is the man Putin would impose on Ukraine as its master. Makes Lukashenko look like a sweet guy. But Yanukovitch is Russian Orthodox, so all is forgiven.
Prove this with a link.
Here is the link you requested:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1287715/posts?page=369#369
Therein your wrote:
"Putin is a member of our church. Therefore we know a great deal about his life, even though he doesn't share it in public with those outside the church. And I stand by Putin, as fellow Orthodox, without one moment of hesitation."
Next time, please ask. I never said a word about a private line or anything like that. You made that all up in your interpretation.
Bump
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