“If it is allowed that (Ukraine) get out of control, it will make Bosnia look like a parent-teacher association (PTA) garden party“, it was said in a seven-page letter that former United States (U.S.) President Richard M. Nixon wrote to then-President Bill Clinton in March 1994. Nixon wrote this in a letter he sent to the White House after returning from Russia, Ukraine, Germany and the United Kingdom (UK). The letter and its contents, which speak about Russia at the time, as well as the dangers associated with Ukraine, were not publicly known until now. It was recently declassified as part of the latest round of declassification of documents available through the Clinton Presidential Library.
“As one of Yeltsin’s earliest supporters in this country and who still respects him for his leadership in the past, I must reluctantly conclude that his situation has rapidly deteriorated since December, and that his days of unquestioned leadership of Russia are numbered. Kohl is the only one I’ve met who disagrees with this opinion. This says more about Kohol’s loyalty to an old friend than his usually brilliant political judgment,” Nixon wrote at the beginning of the letter.
“If we allow the situation in Ukraine to get out of control, it will make BiH look like a PTA garden party”
The man who made the first American presidential contacts with China and had active contacts with Russian leaders advises Clinton that he should not cut off the “Boris-Bill” contacts, but that he should also have contact with those who may soon be in positions of power. He also warns him not to allow himself to remain too attached to Yeltsin as Bush (George H.W.) did in the case of Gorbachev.
“I think you will agree after the meeting with Kravchuk, the situation in Ukraine is highly explosive. If we allow it to get out of control, it will make Bosnia look like a PTA party. It is understandable that our emphasis was on the issue of nuclear weapons. We should concentrate on what could lead to the use of these weapons rather than controlling their numbers. An increase in government aid, which you have already approved, will be helpful. But as in Russia, the main challenge here is the Ukrainian parliament, which is even worse than the Russian Duma, to allow incentives for private investment. Ukraine is an enormously rich country and could improve. The problem is illustrated by the fact that with all of Russia’s difficulties, 35-40% of the Russian economy is privatized. Only 2-5% of Ukraine is privatized,” adds Nixon.
The former president provides an additional analysis of the political situation in Ukraine.
“The political situation is unpredictable. Kravchuk’s support numbers are even lower than Yeltsin’s, but he should never be underestimated because he is probably one of the most capable politicians in the entire former Soviet Union. He is unusually honest for a politician. I’m not talking about financial but political honesty! When I asked him in 1991, when he was still a loyal communist and supported Gorbachev, if he could be elected president, he said ‘no’. He tells me the same thing now. But there is still no one in Ukraine who is in his league,” wrote Nixon, N1 reports.
E.Dz.
