Ambassador William B. Taylor, who was confirmed by the U. S. Senate as U. S. Ambassador to Ukraine on May 26, 2006, presented his credentials to Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko on June 21.

They discussed Ukrainian-U.S. relations and both expressed confidence that the two country's strategic cooperation would develop.

Ambassador Taylor said U. S. President George Bush wanted to build closer ties with Ukraine. He also confirmed the President's intention to visit Ukraine this year.

Following his presentation of Credentials, Ambassador Taylor said: "I'm here to support what Ukraine would like to do. I'm here to support the directions that the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian government would like to take. The United States has made it clear in its support for Ukraine - in particular over the past year and a half since a year ago November - that we are very supportive of democracy here in Ukraine and look forward to supporting that - to continuing to support that - in the future."

"On the economic front, I've mentioned the World Trade Organization which would be a great thing. I believe, for the economy of Ukraine and its trade relations around the world - and investment coming into Ukraine, jobs being formed, jobs being created, people's income going up. That has great potential. The U.S. has provided a large amount of economic assistance as well for Ukraine, and we hope to continue to do that."

"We in the United States think that if Ukraine succeeds as a democratic country in this part of the world that that's good for Ukraine and it's very good for the United States as well."

Until February 2006 William Taylor was the U. S. government's representative to the Quartet's effort to facilitate the Israel disengagement from Gaza and parts of the West Bank, led by Special Envoy James Wolfensohn in Jerusalem. The Quartet Special Envoy was responsible for the economic aspects of this disengagement. Prior to this assignment, he served in Baghdad as Director, Iraq Reconstruction Management Office (2004 - 2005), in Kabul as coordinator of USG and international assistance to Afghanistan (2002 - 2003) and in Washington with the rank of ambassador as coordinator of USG assistance to the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe (1992 - 2002).

Commerce

July / August 2006

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