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Kerry to Skip Ukraine and Visit Moldova Kerry to Skip Ukraine and Visit Moldova
(about 3 hours later)
BRUSSELS — In a signal of American unhappiness with Ukraine’s decision to distance itself from the European Union, Secretary of State John Kerry plans to skip a long anticipated visit to Kiev this week. Instead, Mr. Kerry will visit Moldova on Wednesday, a small nation of 3.6 million that has pursued closer ties with the European Union in the face of intense pressure from Moscow.BRUSSELS — In a signal of American unhappiness with Ukraine’s decision to distance itself from the European Union, Secretary of State John Kerry plans to skip a long anticipated visit to Kiev this week. Instead, Mr. Kerry will visit Moldova on Wednesday, a small nation of 3.6 million that has pursued closer ties with the European Union in the face of intense pressure from Moscow.
It will be the first visit by an American secretary of state to the strategically positioned country since James A. Baker III was there in 1992.It will be the first visit by an American secretary of state to the strategically positioned country since James A. Baker III was there in 1992.
“We wanted to send a very strong signal of support for those countries that have moved forward with the E.U. because of what it means to their commitment to reform,” a senior State Department official said Monday night.“We wanted to send a very strong signal of support for those countries that have moved forward with the E.U. because of what it means to their commitment to reform,” a senior State Department official said Monday night.
Ukraine had been expected to sign trade and political agreements with the European Union last month. And Mr. Kerry had been expected soon afterward to visit Kiev, which is hosting a meeting this week of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.Ukraine had been expected to sign trade and political agreements with the European Union last month. And Mr. Kerry had been expected soon afterward to visit Kiev, which is hosting a meeting this week of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
But the decision of Viktor F. Yanukovich, Ukraine’s president, to back away from the accords following economic pressure and blandishments from Russia has prompted furious protests in Kiev and has also influenced Mr. Kerry’s schedule. In planning Mr. Kerry’s travel, the State Department had sought to organize a visit to an Eastern European country that was seeking closer ties with the European Union following Mr. Kerry’s first European stop, a two-day NATO meeting here. But the decision by Ukraine’s president, Viktor F. Yanukovich, to back away from the accords following economic pressure and blandishments from Russia has prompted furious protests in Kiev and has also influenced Mr. Kerry’s schedule. In planning Mr. Kerry’s itinerary, the State Department had sought to organize a visit to an Eastern European country that was seeking closer ties with the European Union following Mr. Kerry’s first European stop, a two-day NATO meeting here.
“Had that been the case with Ukraine, it would have been a tougher decision whether to go to the O.S.C.E., but since that didn’t happen we’re going where the European decisions were made,” said the State Department official, who declined to be named in accordance with diplomatic protocol.“Had that been the case with Ukraine, it would have been a tougher decision whether to go to the O.S.C.E., but since that didn’t happen we’re going where the European decisions were made,” said the State Department official, who declined to be named in accordance with diplomatic protocol.
Mr. Kerry’s visit to Moldova on Wednesday will last only several hours. But it is intended to demonstrate American support for Moldova, which has faced retaliation from Moscow, including a ban on its wine exports to Russia, for seeking closer ties with the European Union.Mr. Kerry’s visit to Moldova on Wednesday will last only several hours. But it is intended to demonstrate American support for Moldova, which has faced retaliation from Moscow, including a ban on its wine exports to Russia, for seeking closer ties with the European Union.
“Moldova has come under some pressure from its big neighbor,” the senior State Department official said. “So among the things that we’re working on with the E.U. as we support Moldova moving forward is helping the Moldovan wine industry find new markets. The European Union has already reduced or dropped all of its tariffs on Moldovan wine.”“Moldova has come under some pressure from its big neighbor,” the senior State Department official said. “So among the things that we’re working on with the E.U. as we support Moldova moving forward is helping the Moldovan wine industry find new markets. The European Union has already reduced or dropped all of its tariffs on Moldovan wine.”
Mr. Kerry also plans to meet Tuesday morning with Maia Panjikidze, the foreign minister of Georgia, which has also sought political and trade pacts with the European Union. Mr. Kerry also plans to meet Tuesday morning with Maia Panjikidze, the foreign minister of Georgia, another former Soviet state that has sought political and trade pacts with the European Union.
The main business for foreign ministers who are gathering at NATO on Tuesday and Wednesday concerns planning for the alliance’s summit next year and pondering what to do about Afghanistan.The main business for foreign ministers who are gathering at NATO on Tuesday and Wednesday concerns planning for the alliance’s summit next year and pondering what to do about Afghanistan.
The NATO meetings include sessions with the acting Afghan foreign minister, Zarar Ahmad Muqbil, and the Afghan minister of the interior, Umar Daudzai. The NATO meetings include sessions with the acting Afghan foreign minister, Zarar Ahmad Muqbil, and the Afghan interior minister, Umar Daudzai.
The alliance has been planning to take on the mission of training Afghan forces after its combat role ends in 2014, but the future of that mission has been clouded by President Hamid Karzai’s refusal so far to sign an agreement with the United States that provides the legal foundation for a continued American military presence.The alliance has been planning to take on the mission of training Afghan forces after its combat role ends in 2014, but the future of that mission has been clouded by President Hamid Karzai’s refusal so far to sign an agreement with the United States that provides the legal foundation for a continued American military presence.
The accord, known as the Bilateral Security Agreement, is also a template for a similar Status of Forces Agreement that would be signed by NATO nations with Afghanistan.The accord, known as the Bilateral Security Agreement, is also a template for a similar Status of Forces Agreement that would be signed by NATO nations with Afghanistan.
The Obama administration has said that Mr. Karzai must sign the bilateral accord before the end of the year, and not leave that decision to an Afghan president who will be elected in April, or the United States will begin making plans to withdraw its troops.The Obama administration has said that Mr. Karzai must sign the bilateral accord before the end of the year, and not leave that decision to an Afghan president who will be elected in April, or the United States will begin making plans to withdraw its troops.
At the same time, the Obama administration has said that the decision of a loya jirga, or meeting of Afghan leaders, to support the accord represents the will of the Afghan people.At the same time, the Obama administration has said that the decision of a loya jirga, or meeting of Afghan leaders, to support the accord represents the will of the Afghan people.
Retired Gen. John R. Allen, the former senior American commander in Afghanistan, has written that it is a mistake for the White House to insist that the issue be decided before the end of the year.Retired Gen. John R. Allen, the former senior American commander in Afghanistan, has written that it is a mistake for the White House to insist that the issue be decided before the end of the year.
Instead, he noted that the White House should stick to its plan to train and support Afghan forces and wait to see to if the next Afghan president will endorse the accord. Instead, he said, the White House should stick to its plan to train and support Afghan forces and wait to see to if the next Afghan president will endorse the accord.
“It would be a mistake to let one man — increasingly detached from Afghan public and political opinion — determine the fate of the American role in South Asia,” General Allen noted in an Op-Ed article he co-wrote in The New York Times last week with Michael O’Hanlon of the Brookings Institution, a research group. “It would be a mistake to let one man — increasingly detached from Afghan public and political opinion — determine the fate of the American role in South Asia,” General Allen noted in an Op-Ed article he wrote in The New York Times last week with Michael O’Hanlon of the Brookings Institution, a research group.
“The United States should stay patient,” the article said. “It can say to Mr. Karzai, if you want to reinforce Afghan democracy by letting your successor sign this security deal, we can live with that.”“The United States should stay patient,” the article said. “It can say to Mr. Karzai, if you want to reinforce Afghan democracy by letting your successor sign this security deal, we can live with that.”