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AUSTRAL I nl PARTNERSHIP

Â· AddrÃ¢ÂÂ¢Ã¢ÂÂ¢Ã¢ÂÂ¢ by Sen tor the Hon Gareth ltvanÃ¢ÂÂ¢ QC, Minister for

Foreign Affairs nd Trade, to the Ass.ociatiÃ¢ÂÂ¢:>n of UkrainianÃ¢ÂÂ¢ in

Victoria, Malbou ne, 2a "l.lgu9t 199&'

It is indeed a ~leasure for me. to be inviÂ·t:ed to be with you  today on this, the eve of the first annive1rsary of Ukraine's

declaration of independence - an oooasio1:\ Which must have

seemed rather mo e remote little more than a year ago. I know

that this is a and joyous occasion for all Ukrainians

throughout the I am certain th.st history will record

24 August 1991 of the great milestones 1n the struggle

of the Ukrainia nation, stretching beck over one thousand.

yÂ·ears . to the . days when Kievan Rus wei1s the centrÂ·e of

civilisation in astern !urope.

Australia has h~d simply no experience of the types of trauma

which have bese the Ukrainian people through many centuries  of war, pi:srti tioning, foreign occupation and

suppression of ts national identity. During this century

alone, the Ukr~Lnian people hava en~ured the horrific loss of  millions of livek in the famine of 1932-33, repeated purges of

its academic an~ cul turi:sl leaders, and tlha ravcges of Â· two

Wiorld Ware. D,&pite all of this, Ukrainians did not lose

their vision of tatio~ood, which has now been fully realised,

The changes in I Europe's poli t1cal landscape over the past

three years ha~e been as dram~tic as any that have ever

01:::icurred in world history. German unif ioation, the

c:11amooratisation lof eastern Europe and the disintegration of

the Soviet Unioh have fundamentally chan,1ed of the global.

strategic and ec~nomio environment. Ukr~ina can rightly claim  a key role in thts process. The existence C)f Rukh as the most

v~:>cal a.nd ef fe~ti ve opposition group within any of the

republics of the former Soviet Union was instrumental in

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pursuing the ri Jhte of Ukrainian" in the face of what, with

the benefit of ~indsight, could only be seen as increasingly  d1~sparate attem ts by the central Soviet leadership to

maintain the system as it was - despite its manifest failure

tc::> deliver, both in economic and social terms, and to adapt to

a changing world environment. Not only haÃ¢ÂÂ¢i the Soviet Union

fisiled to, in K rusho~ev' s wordsÂ·, "catch up to and overtake

America", it had fallen further behind.

Gc::irbaohev' s in ab 1 i ty to secure a Union Treaty or an Economic

Treaty through 1991, and the failed August coup, exposed the

emerging cracks ~n the Soviet edifice. Ukraine's declaration  o:f independence, along with those of other former Soviet

rÃ¢ÂÂ¢apublics Â· soon fter the coup, signalled the fact that a

C~fStem imposed rom Moscow could no longer satisfy the needs

of e~ a larg~

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~ disparate population.

After the indeplndenoe referendum and Presidential elections  oi:i. l December, a

1 nd the formal dissolution of the Soviet Union

in the Kazakh o pital of Alma Ata on 21 Oecember, Australia,

as with most na ions, welcomed Ukraine into the international

oc:>mmuni ty. In he space of a few short months, Ukraine had

b1aen transformed from a part of the Soviet: Union to a fully

independent counf ry of some 53 million pec)ple, and with the

e1:;)onomio and hum n potential to take a plOOEÃ¢ÂÂ¢ among the worldÃ¢ÂÂ¢ e

lQading nations. Â·

The process of lransition, however, has byÂ· no means bean an

eiasy one. I know the Ukrainian Government is only too

painfully aware of the massive problems of creating new

sÂ·truotures and narting a courl!!Se of poli1:ioal and economic

r1~form tailored to Ukraine' s own need1:i. Despite the

international on the reform process in Russia, the

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d1alicate tasks reshaping the constituti 1on and overhauling

an outdated leg 1 system have been under way for some time,

p:rices have bae liberalised, and Ukraine is well advanced

t1:>wards the int eduction of its own ourrem;i:y. The Ukrainian

p1!ople appear have taken a rnore acce1)ting and resolute

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approach to thee~ reforms in the knowledge that thia is the  only way in whith it can achieve. full independence from its

O(:>loniel past.  !

Al though poli ti al and social reform will

a.Laments in Uk a:Lne's process of transition,

e1:::ionomic reform is by far the most diffiou:Lt.

be necessary  the task of

over the past

nine yeara, we i/~ Australia have tackled the difficult and at

t:imas unpopular pob of formulating and implnmenting structural  r1aforma in the ~ustralian economy. These have been essential  ti:> increase the jefficiency of Australian ir.1dustry and improve  our internationer competitiveness.

HÃ¢ÂÂ¢::>wever, these roblems are small indeed ley comparison with

tlhe challenge to throw off the dead hand of the Soviet command

e1;:,onomy end to introduce a syst;em. which allows Ukraine t!J

achieve its undo bted potential Ã¢ÂÂ¢. In these circumstances, the

r1!!lther halting ature of current economic reforms in Ukraine

iiS1 a cause for some concern.. Change doeE1 not come without

sacrifice, and indecision and Â·procrastine.tion have a real

cost. We in th international community, hopefully with your

hfalp, will con to urge the Ukrain:ian leadership to

increase its ef orts to develop and apply a clear economic

aÂ·trategy so tha Ukrainians, both as ind:ividuals and as a

n1!ltion, can sha:r1e in the benef i ~s which will inevitably flow

f:rom the introdu tion of a f:r:Qia ~e.rket structure.

A feature of Uk aine's transition over the past twelve months

wlrlioh has not r ceived sufficient prominenc:e, but nonetheless  deserves great r speot and admiration, has been the total lack

o:f the type of onflict and viol~nce which has plagued other

pi!lrts of the former Soviet Union and eastern Europe.

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the Black eet and Crimea, and the distancing of itself

from the conflict in Moldova on Ukraine's western

bc::1rder, refleot a degree of maturity which is vital to the

sÂ·tability of the region. President Kravchuk' s visits to North

America and we tern Europe to establish personal links with

the world's lea ing powers; the complete removal of tactioal

ni.iclear weapons rom its territory; Ukraine's signature of the

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S'rART Agreement; I and its aotJ. va involvement in international  f1::>rums such as t~e CSCB and through the United Nations are all  further evidenof of this maturity, which has contributed

Â· p4:::>Si tively to re ional and global ~.tabili ty.

In responding td the way in which Ukraine has been moving to

tu1tablish its ot position in the world cc11nmuni ty, Australia  miust look at :I. s own interests in developing a range of

essentially new elationships, not only with Ukraine, but with

all of the othe1 newly independent countries which havs come

on to the wor d stage. Australia's greatest asset in

d1aveloping this elationship is you - the Australian Ukrainian

ci:>mmunity. It ls with some regret that I admit to you that

m1::.>st Australians~ knowledge of Ukraine is letmentably low. Few  A11.1stralians wou1b be aware oÂ·f Ukraine's sizE~ and population in  c1:>mpaz-ison with ~ts European neighbours, emd its ranking amo~g  the world's lar est economies. Ukraine's

b:read basket of the former Soviet Union

although its hi tory as a major industrial

wr;>rld' s large.st/  Â·neglected. Â· 1

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producers of coal and

reputation  is better

powi:ar, ona  steel, is

es the

known,  of the

of ten

Australia ' s Ukr community can Â· be prc,ud of the way in

which it has ontributed to the overall development of

Australian socie y, and its integration into the community at

li1:1rge. At same time you have . ma:intained your own

individual cul tu e and heritage through the establishment of

Ulk:rainian schoo~s, the work of church end local community  organisations, ~e promotion of the Ukrainian language and its  l:i terature and t/heatre, and the availabili t:y of undergraduate  eund postgraduate courses in Ukrainian Stu~lies at Monash and  Mocquarie Univer~ities which are fully funded by the Ukrainian  c~:mununity. It ijs for these achievements that the Government,  a.ind I think the Australian community at large, holds the

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The expatriate rainian community will have a role to play in

the development of the ~Qmocratio reform process. An

important step i this direction will be made in October with

the holding in iev of the first world Congress of Ukrainian

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L1awyers. A sutstantial delegation of Australian Ukrainian

l1awyers will be attending, as will ba a representative of the

Australian Embas1 y to Ukraine. As a lawyer myself, I hope

and

Â· e:icpect that this I Congress will contribute sJlgnif ioantly to the  oonstitutional ~nd legal reform and the consolidation of

democratic institutions genBrally in Ukraine.

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Another facet o~ the work of Australia's Ukrainians has been

the impressive mtlobilisation of public support for the victims

of the Chernoby nuclear disaster. QuitÃ¢ÂÂ¢Ã¢ÂÂ¢ s few groups of

children have al~eady been able to experienoe the benefits of  A1ustralia 's clim te and hospitality. Thesc3 visits have also

hiad a real impa t on Australians .. in bringing home the real

e:ffeota of tha~ terrible accident, and in making us all

riaalise how for~unate we are to live in a country which has

n1aver had to endure this type of human tragE~dy, one which will  01::>ntinue to af f ct the people of. Ukraine and its neighbours

f1:;)r generations to come. For the Government' e part, we have

contributed to he work programs of the International Atomic

!il'lergy Agency anj~ the OECD Nuclear Energy J!~genoy in assessing

the heal th and environmental impacts of . the disaster, ~nd

f1::>rmulating straJtegies to prevent similar occurrences in the  future. We hav~ also given our support fo1~ the estetblishment  of a world Heal~h Organisation endorsed Irtternational C~ntre  ti:;) coordinate 1 medical, psychosocial and epidemiological

research in Ukrafne, Belarus and Russia.

I't was both becruee of my desire to foster greater personal

links between t~e Ukrainian and Australian Governments, and  Ullu:aine' s inherept strategic importance, that ;c made my first

v.isit to Kiev iin November last. year. My meetings with

:!?:resident Krs.vc uk, Foreign Minister Zlen~:o and a range of

oÂ·ther community leaders were the first ste;p in this process.

I had met Anato~y Zlenko before at the United Nations in New

Y1:>rk, and it as a great pleasure to meet him and his

c1::>lleagues agai in the extraordinarily e.xoiting atmosphere

that existed ju t a week before Â·the indei;:Ã¢ÂÂ¢an'1ence referendum

v1:>te. May I say that it was also .an overwhc!lming cultural and

historical exper enoe to visit as I did the magnificent Lavra

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Mc:mastery and stl Sophia Cathedral - two o~: the really great

s:Lghts of Europt, and Â·ones that I hope will become better

known to Austral ans and other travellers.  I

I was greeted / very warmly by the Ukrainian poli t:.Loal

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ltaaderehip, and ! left the country with a feeling of great

OJ;>timism for thel future of the relationship on the basis of a

r~snge of shared !interests. Both of our c::o1,,mtries have strong

111;rioul turol and resource based industries, and I developed

the olear impr ssion of a co1,mtry stro1:tgly committed to

d1amooracy and t e protection of ~ndividual freedoms. This  oc::>mmitment was emonstrated no more clearly than during my

mjaeting with Mr Lev Lukyanenko who, up unt.il the late 1980s,

w1aa a poli tioal prisoner, wae atÂ· the time of our meeting a

P:r-esidential cal1didate,  Canada. Â·

and is now Ukraine's Ambassador to

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S;lnce my visi , Australia has reoogn:Lsed Ukt-aine and

eatablished dipl matic relations. our non~resident Ambassador  t1:> Ukraine, Cav n Hogue, was just the sec::ond .Ambassador to

present credenti~ls to President ~ravchuk when he did so ~n 6  M1!lrch. Subsequ~ntly, an Australian Parlie,mentary Delegation  v;i.s.ited Ukraine ~uring April, and we are lc,oking forward to a  rf:aoip;i;-ogol vi5ai t I by s Ukrainian delegation led by the Chairman  o:f Parliament, Mt Plushch, later this year. In addition, the

Prime Minister h s sent an invitation to President Kravchuk to

v:ieit Australia s a guest of the Australian Government.

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A$ you would all/ know, I have ~nnounced that Australia will be  OJ;>ening a Consutate in Kiev. The Ukrain:Lan Government has  s;1m11arly asked to open a Consulate in Melbourne. I have

w:ri tten to Forei n Minister Zlenko approvin~J the establishment  of the ConsulatJ. However, I am waiting on his formal reply

ain.d agreement t~ my proposal for the removal on a reciprocal  basis of some u1necessary Cold War measures before we proceed  with the opening/of both Consulates. l expect this to be only

a formality giveh the fact that Ukraine has: already agreed to

similar arrangamtnts with the Unite.cl States,

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Australia's Cons1 ulate will be heaclea by an Honorary Consul:

the nature of kraine 's Â· representation will be one for the

Ukrainian Gover  Â· aÂ·t the Consulat

ent to finally resolve. Wl'lile representation

level is appropriate at this stage, I would

l.ike our relatioÂ· ship to evolve further, and we will keep our

r1apresentation u der review ao that it accurately reflects the

stature of ths r lationship.

P1arhaps, before we get too c:arried away with

uinrealistic exp otations of what is ochievable in the short

t1arm, we shouldtacknowledge the reality that the Austx-eliaÂ­ Ull

f1!:.'reign policy, uite rightly so, is centred on its immediate

r1agion, on Weste n Europe and on North Amer.:l.oa, These are the  regions with w ich it is most immediately important for

the greatest c p~city to provide financial assistance in

Ukraine's transi ion to a market economy. I  Although we are working from a relatively small base, the

b.ilateral rele.t~onship is nonetheless one1 which has great  potential, parti~ularly in trade and economic cooperation. I  hil!lve already mef tioned our share'! interes~t:s in agricul tur~ll  airld resource bas d induetries. Coptnotsi between Australian  mining companie~ and unions and their Ukr~inian counterparts  hi!!ve already be n established. .The Australian wool industry

is also keen to recapture its market in Ukraine, estimated at

ai;iproximately S!A200 million at Â·its heigh1t, whioh has now

evaporated. Al of these secto+~ are onea with great scope

far trade, techn logy transfer and joint ventures.

In order to p:a;- mete the trans! tion ofÂ· the new independent

states to market economies, the Australian Government has set

in train a pro ram of scholarships cornpriLsing eight months

fÃ¢ÂÂ¢:>rmal and on the-job business and management training,

f1:>ousing on sectbrs where Aust:raiia has particular commercial  a;>epertise. The-/ selection p:rocess for the 1993 intake is in

p:C'ogres.s, and ,e are expecting strong representation from

Ukraine in this I group. The Government has also contributed

fun~s towards th~ training of Ukrainian farmers in Australian

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fiarm management  pii:oogram.

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techniques in South Australia under this

Â· The task of tran~forming Ukraine's commes.nd Eloonorny to

ec:onomy is ehormously complex, and should

a merket  not be

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un.derestimated y governments and businEullspeople

sidaa. There is no blueprint for this process, and aa yet no

guidelines of s coess. However, the countries which have

s~carted from si . ilar poai tions, such as P

aiC'e starting to now what can be achieved in a matter of a few

short years. F reign investment-. and the c1onsequent transfer

o:c technology a d management expertise il!J crucial to this

. p~r:oces&.  i 1t; is part

investment.  pc)licy makers t

, Ukraine cannot lose sight of the f aot that

a very competitive market for foreign

challenge is there for Ukraine' a economic

create the type of stab:JLe and predictable

lÃ¢ÂÂ¢ig:Lslative and institutional environment which will attract

p<>tential away from other pros1pecti ve investment

dastinations. I I

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I know that sobie leading members of your community have

already been acttva in trying to bridge this information gap

1n making Aust alian business aware of opportunities in

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m11tching them to/suitable Australian exporters and investors.

A:Lthough economib and commercial. factors J:-emain the driving  frce behind bil~teral relationships throughout the world, we

should not ign+re the crucial role of greater personal

contacts at thts early stage of the relationship. As

international ttavel to Ukraine becomes easier and more

W41)Stern style t~urist fac;:ilities come on etream, I am sure  tho.t the flow ofl Australian visitors will increase. i\s I can

t(!stify from j bst one day in one city, Ukraine is a

fascinating cou~try, with moving and magrliificent places to  v:Lsi t ... aesthet~cally, spiritually, and historically. The

puople to peoplle contact brought about through visits ot

m~Lnisterial and j parliamentary levels, bus:i.ness contacts and

t()urism is vital I to the development of an overall appreciei.tion

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c1f each other's history and oul ture. ln turn, I hope that a

Qrreater degree of understanding at this level can be

translated into ~engible economic benefits for both countries.  I

Liet me egain exrend the Government Is congratulations on this,  Ukraine' a first anniversary of independencEa. It is our hope

that this markst the emergence of a strong and economically  independent Ukr ina which is ab~e to take 1 ts place as ea

regional and glo1 al power, To that I would like to add my own personal bast wilshes to all of you for rece:iving me today, and for the oontri~ution your community has made to a richer AuÃ¢ÂÂ¢t~elian socieryÂ·

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