U.S. State Secretary Hillary Clinton visited Ukraine and Poland. In Kiev, she tested the new Ukrainian government for allegiance to democracy and reminded it that NATO was still waiting. In Krakow, Clinton developed the treaty with this country pertaining installation of the American ballistic missile defense system there. She made it plain that Russian representatives would be welcome to examine these objects. Moscow in its turn has no inkling of who, when, or how will be able to inspect American military objects in Poland.
Clinton’s tour includes visits to Ukraine, Poland, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. It began with a stopover in Kiev. Meetings with the Ukrainian leadership on July 2 and 3 were focused on the freedom of assembly and expression. «We discussed promotion of Ukrainian democracy through promotion of sturdy civil society, independence of the media, and transparency of the state sector. We are determined to work with the Ukrainian authorities to facilitate these freedoms,» said Clinton.
Probably unnerved because he kept calling the visitor «secretary general», President Victor Yanukovich conveyed the idea that American attention to Ukraine was making him happy. «I’m happy that the United States appreciates political stabilization in Ukraine, improved effectiveness of the state power, and the first steps toward reforms,» he said.
The Ukrainian opposition painted a different picture, of course. Ex-premier Yulia Timoshenko informed the visitor that the country was sliding into authoritarianism. «The situation is not what I’d call unproblematic but we are going to continue striving to make Ukraine a democratic European country,» said Timoshenko. Clinton promised continued support for Ukrainian democracy and sovereignty.
«Ukraine does not think that it is interested in NATO membership at this point, and we respect this decision. When Ukraine is ready to apply for membership, its application will be looked at with favor,» Clinton said at the meeting with Ukrainian youths. It means that the matter of Ukraine’s membership in the Alliance remains an open matter, despite Moscow’s expectations.
Clinton departed Ukraine for Krakow, Poland, where she attended celebration of the Community of Democracies anniversary. Given the floor, the U.S. state secretary gave participants in the forum chapter and verse on dangers of authoritarian regimes. «Authoritarian governments the world over — including the government of Russia — crack down on citizens groups for their resolve to develop democracies. We welcome Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s words on supremacy of the law, but not a single assassination of human rights activists or journalists has been solved there,» she said.
Clinton and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski signed a protocol to the agreement on installation of objects of the American ballistic missile defense framework in Poland. According to Sikorski, the protocol defined configuration of the Redzikowo military base adapted to deployment of SM-3 missiles (they are expected to appear in Poland between 2015 and 2018). Said Sikorski, «These missiles will protect all of the Alliance from attacks from all vectors and distances. This new system is going to be considerably more effective.» New approach to the ABM system stipulates an emphasis on dealing with intermediate- and shorter- range missiles. It is for this purpose exactly that Patriot complexes were deployed in Poland not far from the Russian Kaliningrad.
Sikorski announced as well that Poland was prepared to let Russian specialists come and examine ABM installations. «We want the system to be transparent. We want Russia to know that the system will be developed for the purposes we declare,» he said. Clinton added that the system was going to be defensive and that it would pose no threats to Russia. «Cooperation and interaction with the Russian partners is in our interests,» she said.
Not a word was said about who would be invited to examine ABM installations in Poland or how. Neither is official Moscow any better informed. A source within the Foreign Ministry said that nobody had ever discussed any examinations. «We brought it up in the dialogue with the Poles. We told them plainly that when we are shown something without an explanation of what this something is, it cannot be expected to address the problem,» said a senior Russian diplomat. «We want to know how these weapons are supposed to be used. We are not a banana republic after all. We have a right to know.»
