For some time now I have gotten The Action Ukraine Report. It is only sent via email and is free. The newsletter focuses on current Ukrainian news stories. It has original content not found elsewhere. Sometimes it is an excerpt of other news organization's stories.

I searched for it, but The Action Ukraine Report seemed to be the only organization that covered Ambassador Taylor's swearing in ceremony.

WASHINGTON - William B. Taylor, Jr. was sworn in on Monday, June 5, by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to be the next United States of America Ambassador to Ukraine.

A crowd of over 200 family members, friends, colleagues, Ukrainian-Americans, businessmen, political experts and friends of Ukraine gathered in the ornate Benjamin Franklin room on the top floor of the State Department to watch the swearing in ceremony.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke about the concept of democracy and how people all over the world want to be free. Building a new democracy is not easy or quick she said.

Secretary Rice said one of the most exciting events in recent years was the Orange Revolution in Ukraine in November-December of 2004. The Secretary said Ambassador Taylor was highly qualified to represent the U.S. in Ukraine and that both President Bush and her had great faith in his ability to assist Ukraine in its march to becoming a strong democratic nation.

..........

Ambassador Taylor will leave at the end of the week for Kyiv to take up his new post.

The government of Ukraine was represented by the Charge d'Affairs of the Ukraine Embassy Victor Niktiuk.

Four former U.S. Ambassadors to Ukraine were present: William Miller, Steven Pifer, Carlos Pascual and John Herbst. Also present was the new Special Advisor to the Vice President for National Security Affairs, Ukrainian native, Eugene M. Fishel.


From: The Action Ukraine Report

Who knew that the Special Advisor to the Vice President for National Security Affairs was born in Ukraine?


If you have some time, you may also want to read New U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine meets with CSDU.

For your reference, I wrote 3 blogs on Jackson-Vanik Amendment.

Here is a basic defintion of the Jackson-Vanik amendment. Ukraine isn't a "nonmarket economy" anymore (since March 2006).

The enactment of the Jackson-Vanik amendment as part of the Trade Act of 1974 was directly a U.S. reaction to the severe restrictions the Soviet Union had placed in late 1972 on the emigration of its citizens, but was expanded in its scope to apply to all so-called “nonmarket economy” (NME) countries. The amendment requires compliance with its specific free-emigration criteria as a key condition for the restoration of certain economic benefits theretofore denied to NME countries in their economic relations with the United States. These benefits (nondiscriminatory—most-favored-nation—treatment in trade; access to U.S. government financial facilities; ability to conclude a trade agreement with the United States)

From: The Jackson-Vanik Amendment: A Survey