Tymoshenko's Release May Not Be Enough for Some in Europe to Approve Trade Pact, says Bruce Rickerson, former U.S. State Department Official
WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by the US-Ukraine Observer:
Former U.S. Department of State and Senate Foreign Relations Committee official Dr. Bruce Rickerson has observed the most visible criterion for Europe's decision on integrating Ukraine focuses on one person, imprisoned former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. In a commentary published by the prestigious United Press International, Rickerson writes: "While avoiding a direct quid pro quo that release of Tymoshenko guarantees the AA-FTA signing (or the opposite: that keeping her in prison ought to doom the agreement), officials and experts leave no doubt that Kiev's letting her go would be the most significant step they could take to secure the pact. Even the U.S. Senate seeks to leverage possible outcomes with a nuanced resolution (Senate Resolution 165) that implies Tymoshenko's release should be a condition of the agreement without actually saying it must be. Oddly enough, the final word in the 'Tymoshenko saga' may belong to her. Unconfirmed reports from Kiev suggest that authorities have privately indicated a conditional willingness to release her for medical treatment in Germany."
Rickerson writes that even reported discussions on Tymoshenko's release to a German hospital for medical treatment would come with conditions. "First, Tymoshenko would have to stay out of politics for the indefinite future. Second, she must refund hundreds of millions of dollars the Ukrainian government lost in the gas deal she negotiated with Russia," writes Rickerson. "As yet, these conditions appear to be unacceptable to her, especially repayment of the money, which not unreasonably could be construed as a tacit admission of guilt. There are still a lot of 'ifs.' If such an offer to release Tymoshenko exists, and if she finally were to agree to it, and if she is then sent abroad, that still might not guarantee the trade deal," he continues.
In his commentary, Rickerson points out that some European diplomats have stated that the release of Tymoshenko would not ease European concerns of selective justice in Ukraine. Rickerson writes: "'Such a move would be welcome, but is not enough,' a diplomat from 'one of the largest Western countries' (Germany?) told EurActiv.com, making it clear that sending her abroad for treatment would not be seen as sufficient to deal with EU concerns about 'selective justice,' an expression that usually is a codeword for Tymoshenko but which also can apply broadly to Ukraine's still evolving legal system. The same publication said an ambassador 'from an Eastern European country' (presumably one of the supporters of the offer, such as Poland or Lithuania) said that he didn't see German pressure on the Tymoshenko case as 'tenable' in the long run: He added that the EU usually pressures countries aspiring to join the EU not to compromise on crimes or corruption cases involving high officials. 'If we had put a former prime minister in jail, the [European] Commission would have congratulated us,' the diplomat said."
Bruce M. Rickerson formerly served in a professional capacity with the Organization of American States, the U.S. Department of State, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and taught at the university level.
United Press International: "Tymoshenko, Ukraine and the EU"
Contact: US-Ukraine Observer, Frank Abernathy, 615-290-5662, [email protected]
SOURCE The US-Ukraine Observer
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