PRESS ENCOUNTER BY

Ambassador Valeriy Kuchynsky
Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations

UKRAINE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

November 11, 2002

Ambassador Kuchynsky: Good evening. I am happy to inform you that at this moment the 661 Committee of the Security Council is considering the request by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, concerning the alleged accusations of the possible transfer of Kolchuga stations to Iraq.

As you know, there was a delay at the request of the United States - Ukrainian side asked the Committee to look into the matter some time ago - because the bilateral process of negotiations started in October and, in fact, a group of experts from the United States and the United Kingdom visited Ukraine and worked there for a week at the invitation of the Ukrainian government.

As the report is about to appear and, in fact, it already appeared, the Ukrainian side is expressing its discontent with the results of this report.

The report claimed, and I quote, that the Ukrainian side failed to provide any evidence that it did not supply Kolchuga station to Iraq.

For me personally, it is not Ukraine, who has to prove it. It was the task of the group of experts to prove that Ukraine did. Unfortunately, they failed to prove it.

That's why the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine this Saturday sent yet another letter, addressed to the President of the Security Council, asking the Security Council to be directly involved in the investigation of these serious accusations against my country.

Q: (Washington Post) Ambassador, can you give us some details, do you think the United States is making up the information and why do you think they are making these allegations and conducting the investigations. They say they've been signaling the Ukrainian government was not providing full cooperation on the investigation.

Ambassador Kuchynsky: Well, you see, it is a very serious allegation. But, apparently, the American side, as, by the way, they claimed, have no proofs for that and as I said the group of experts failed to provide any proof being on the "ground" in Ukraine.

Ukraine has made an unprecedented act. It has invited foreign experts and showed them the secrets, (the) military secrets of my country. The foreign experts, (the) United Kingdom and United States experts, were allowed to visit the production units of these facilities in Ukraine. They were given all documents on the previous production of the Kolchuga stations and even then they did not come with any proofs.

That's why my Government thinks that the only authority that can look into the matter properly, an uninterested authority is the United Nations Security Council.

Q: (Washington Post) So, would you like to send a team of weapons inspectors into Ukraine to look on this?

Ambassador Kuchynsky: Yes, we would like. And, in fact, the President of Ukraine has invited a group of international experts from various countries - members of the Security Council, members of the United Nations - to come to Ukraine and to see for themselves, whether these specific allegations have any grounds.

But the main thing is that we want to put a stop on this campaign against Ukraine.

Thank you very much.