Highlights of Pres Yushchenko’s Nov. 27 talk show declarations

YUSHCHENKO REGRETS TRUSTING TYMOSHENKO

Yushchenko admitted that he had trust in Tymoshenko after the 2004 Orange revolution. He refused to explain the reasons for his present disappointment with the premier, saying “My old scars have healed.”

He said he bears no grudges against Tymoshenko. “I have a grudge as an official: we have wasted the last 2.5 years. These were empty years without reforms, he stressed.

He then said he sees no ideological difference between Yanukovych and Tymoshenko, saying the country will lose if Tymoshenko wins the election and likening Tymoshenko to a crisis – “She spells crisis,” he repeated for the umpteenth time.

Asked about Yanukovych, Yushchenko said he will lose the election. Asked about who will win, Yushchenko pointed at himself.

He disagreed with the proposal by one of the journalists to step down from the race not to inflame the situation. He waved aside the assumption by a journalist that the forthcoming election might end in a civil war, arguing the Ukrainians have become more tolerant and less aggressive. To illustrate, he recalled his 2004 trip to Donetsk when the local authorities didn’t want to let him out of the airport. By comparison, he continued, during his recent trip to Donetsk he saw portraits of Tymoshenko “on every other big board”. “I reproached Yanukovych campaign staff, saying things are not as they should be in Donets as Lytvyn’s portraits were ‘on every third big board,’ Yatseniuk’s ‘on every fifth’ while there were only a couple of my own,” the incumbent admitted.

RUSSIA SHOULD GET USED TO TREATING UKRAINIANS AS AN INEEPENDENT NATION

Stressing the need for Russia to start viewing Ukrainians as an independent nation, Yushchenko proposed to build up a dialog to clarify “the truth without which there can’t be normal relations with Russia.”

He stressed he hasn’t done or said anything to mar the relations between Ukraine and Russia. Yushchenko emphasized he would always have respect for Russia – “a great country with a great people with whom we will always be together.”

“I am convinced, the Russians will eventually come to understanding, something our relations lack today,” Yushchenko opined.

UKRAINE SHOULD CHANGE ITS GAS TRADE AND TRANSIT WITH RUSSIA

Yushchenko wants to raise the issue of transit tariffs for Russian gas at the EU summit due Dec. 4, 2009. He will push ahead for commercial rates of gas tariffs, similar to European ones.

He also opted for buying the Russian gas at Ukraine’s western border.

Yushchenko stressed the need to reform Naftohaz and have a separate contract with Russia for the transit of its gas via Ukraine. Yushchenko said in this case Ukraine could get $5 billion to modernize its pipelines.

Yushchenko has again lashed out at the gas agreements signed in early 2009 with Russia, calling them imbecile. He called as imbecile the cabinet’s policy with regard to low transit tariffs, claiming it will lead to a catastrophe.

He pledged he will never allow Tymoshenko to lead Naftohaz to bankruptcy and lose the pipelines.

I HATE POLITICS – YUSHCHENKO

Yushchenko promised to retire after his presidential tenure ends, saying it will happen in 5 years - after his second watch.