Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 07KYIV645, UKRAINE: PARLIAMENT HALTS SALE OF TRADE UNION'S

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07KYIV645.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07KYIV645 2007-03-21 11:33 2011-08-24 16:30 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Kyiv
VZCZCXRO1228
RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHKV #0645/01 0801133
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 211133Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KYIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1601
INFO RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0052
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0009
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 0017
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 0003
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KYIV 000645 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/UMB AND DRL/ILCSR 
DOL FOR SMARLER 
BERLIN FOR RSHAGEN 
GENEVA FOR JCHAMBERLIN 
MUMBAI FOR WKLEIN 
 
E.O.: 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB PGOV UP
SUBJECT: UKRAINE: PARLIAMENT HALTS SALE OF TRADE UNION'S 
SOVIET-ERA ASSETS 
 
REF: A. 2004 KIEV 4739 
     B. 2003 KIEV 4751 
 
KYIV 00000645  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET PUBLICATION 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: The Ukrainian Parliament has established 
a moratorium on the sale of property by the Federation of 
Trade Unions (FPU), the successor to Ukraine's Soviet-era 
trade union.  The move marks a surprising turn of events in 
an ongoing conflict between the FPU, which controls all 
union property inherited from the Soviet era, and the 
independent trade unions that seek a fair distribution of 
the assets.  The Rada will concurrently conduct an 
investigation into the property issue, which could lead to 
other measures in addition to the moratorium.  In the 
longer term, a resolution to this issue could induce the 
Federation to reform and concentrate on the needs of its 
members, rather than on its property holdings.  End 
Summary. 
 
Rada Halts Property Sale 
------------------------ 
 
2. (U) Ukraine's Rada (parliament) passed a law on February 
22 establishing a moratorium on the sale of property by the 
Federation of Trade Unions (FPU), the country's largest 
trade union organization and successor to the Soviet-era 
All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions.  The law calls 
for the establishment of a special commission to conduct an 
inventory of the FPU's property and to investigate past 
property sales.  After vetoing a previous version, and 
insisting that it require the investigation to be completed 
by January 1, 2008, President Yushchenko signed the bill 
into law on March 14. 
 
Background on Property Issue 
---------------------------- 
 
3. (U) The FPU-owned property in question includes prime 
real estate in the country's largest cities, as well as 
valuable and highly sought-after vacation complexes in the 
Crimea.  Media reports estimate the total value of the 
inherited property at USD 2.5-3.8 billion, although it is 
likely that only USD 200-600 million worth of property has 
not already been sold.  The FPU gained control of this 
property in the legal vacuum accompanying the collapse of 
the Soviet Union.  Competing trade unions such as the 
Confederation of Free Trade Unions (CFTU) and the All 
Ukrainian Union of Workers' Solidarity (VOST) have long 
argued they should receive a share of the spoils.  CFTU 
head AND Rada MP Mykhailo Volynets told Econoff on March 15 
that his main objective is to obtain a share of the 
inherited office space, while the more profitable vacation 
complexes should be managed by some kind of social fund 
rather than the unions themselves. 
 
4. (SBU) The FPU has operated as a holding company for 
several property management, construction, and supply 
firms.  Critics note that the Federation survives 
financially on income from these firms, and through rent 
paid on its real estate, rather than the membership dues 
that drive more typical trade unions.  FPU deputy chairman 
Grygoriy Osovyy admitted to Econoff in September 2006 that 
the FPU's claim of 11 million members may be misleading. 
He estimated that only 75% of alleged members even belong 
to functioning unions, and that substantially fewer pay 
dues to the FPU. 
 
Fire Sale 
--------- 
 
5. (SBU) The FPU has steadily sold off a sizeable portion 
of the property over the years to finance its operations 
and, almost certainly, to line the pockets of its 
leadership.  As talk of renationalizing the property 
emerged, FPU leadership quickened the pace, fearful that 
what was not sold could be lost.  The Ukrainian weekly 
journal "Business" reported in October 2006 that, between 
 
KYIV 00000645  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
2005 and mid-2006, the Federation sold no less than 34 
property assets for about USD 1.7 billion, primarily 
through its daughter companies "Ukrprofzdravnica," which 
owns health resorts and medical facilities, and 
"Ukrpoftur," which owns tourist facilities.  "Business" 
also reported that "Ukrprofzdravnica" sold shares in the 
company worth USD 25.5 million during this period, using 
the proceeds for salaries of FPU officers and other FPU 
expenses. 
 
Attempts at Resolution 
---------------------- 
 
6. (SBU) As part of negotiations to join the primary 
international trade union confederation (formally ICFTU, 
now ITUC), the Federation had agreed to work towards a fair 
resolution with competitor unions CFTU and VOST, which were 
already recognized members of the international body (ref 
B).  The FPU had offered to share some small office space 
with other unions, but remained adamant on retaining the 
more valuable of the assets.  With the ICFTU/ITUC focused 
on its own reorganization, and with FPU's Russian allies 
lobbying on the Federation's behalf within international 
institutions, no substantial international pressure was 
brought to bear on FPU to compromise. 
 
7. (SBU) Progress looked possible following the resignation 
of former FPU boss Oleksandr Stoyan in 2004, when it 
emerged that he had urged the use force against protesters 
during the Orange Revolution (ref A).  The "orange" 
governments of 2004-2005 failed in their efforts to get the 
Rada to move against the FPU, however.  CFTU head Volynets 
told Econoff that he blamed this failure on obstruction by 
the State Property Fund, which he accused of being in 
cahoots with FPU leadership. 
 
No Longer Orange vs. Blue 
------------------------- 
 
8. (SBU) FPU and Stoyan's successor, Oleksandr Yurkin, have 
remained closely aligned to the Party of Regions and 
current Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych.  This move by the 
Regions-dominated Rada, then, came as a surprise.  ILO 
Technical Advisor and trade union insider Stanislaw 
Cheniuch in January described a kind of "unholy" alliance 
that had formed to push through the moratorium bill. 
Included in this alliance are Volynets, who is a perennial 
FPU opponent as chairman of the CFTU and a Yulia Tymoshenko 
Bloc MP, former FPU head Stoyan, who is apparently out for 
revenge after his unseating, and Regions MPs such as 
Yaroslav Sukhiy (sponsor of the moratorium bill), who want 
to see the valuable property returned to state coffers. 
Minister of Labor Mykhailo Papiyev has also supported 
distributing the Soviet-era assets, and during a meeting 
with Ambassador in October 2006 he criticized the FPU for 
surviving "at the expense of these assets." 
 
Comment: Catalyst for FPU Reform? 
--------------------------------- 
 
9. (SBU) Like its contemporaries throughout the former 
Soviet Union, the FPU has been slow to reform and adapt to 
free market conditions and democratic political 
institutions.  Its massive property inheritance has only 
slowed this process, creating incentives for corruption 
among FPU leadership and allowing the Federation to survive 
without developing a dues-paying membership.  In 2001, for 
example, former FPU head Stoyan actually opposed labor 
protests over low wages on the grounds that protests 
directed at the government could threaten the security of 
the FPU's real estate holdings.  This Rada investigation 
and moratorium, if it ultimately deprives the FPU of its 
property-generated income, could help push the Federation 
to reform itself more along the lines of a western-style 
trade union that is first and foremost responsive to its 
members.  Such reform cannot occur instantaneously, but a 
resolution of the property issue could trigger serious 
change. 
 
KYIV 00000645  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
 
TAYLOR