Chernobyl Nuclear Accident Congressional Hearings Transcript

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will do what we can to try to alleviate some of the suffering. I'd
like to yield to Commissioner Wolf.
Mr. Wolf. I have to leave, in fact, as I have an 11 o'clock that
I'm late for. But I didn't want to leave until I could thank you. I
think I want to commend Mr. Smith for having the hearing, and
I was overwhelmed. The enormity of the task—the phrase that I
wrote down, is so overwhelming.
I have been following this in the newspaper, and reading about
it, but I think it's just unbelievable. The profound event in Eastern
Europe. A profound event, really, in the entire world. Because I'm
sure you can study the impact. It has probably hit Moldova. It has
probably hit Romania. It has probably hit Germany, even, in ways
that we re not even seeing.
But, for the people of Belarus and Ukraine, it's unbelievable. So
don't take my leaving as any indication of my lack of interest.
These appointments have been scheduled. But I just want you to
know we'll try to work with Mr. Smith, and I've been impressed.
I would say to the gentlemen both from Belarus and also from
Ukraine, I think it's important—and I'm not sure what I'm trying
to say.
I think I know what I'm saying, and I hope it comes out well.
I think, in the relationship between the United States and the
former Soviet Union and Russia, I think you really want to be a
little careful.
I noticed that Belarus has made a special effort. You seem to be
rejoining Russia, for whatever reasons, and I don't want to get into
them now. But I think you should be careful, with regard to what
direction you look. I know your economy is tied into their economy,
but I don t sense there's going to be a lot of resources coming from
that end.
As Mr. Kuchma said, not only the American people, but the West
are very interested in this, and I sense would be interested in following
through. But I think, sometimes, political decisions unfortunately
have ramifications on the results that take place afterward.
I mean that in a very positive way. They ought not to, but the end
result is that they do.
So my profound appreciation for both of you, and for the other
two, for your testimony, and the burden that your countries have
to carry with this is just more than I really realized what it was.
I wish that more members could have heard the four of you testifying,
and, with Mr. Smith's leadership, hopefully this will get out
more. I don't know if there are many members of the press covering
this. It doesn't look like there really are a lot. But this is a very
important issue for the entire world. So, again, I apologize for leaving,
but I really want to thank all four of you. I have read, as you
were testifying, all four of the testimonies, and I just want to thank
you very much.
(Applause.)
Mr. Smith. Thank you, Mr. Wolf. Ambassador Shcherbak, last
December, as you pointed out, Ukraine and the G-7 signed a
aid pack-
Memorandum of Understanding agreeing on a financial
age to help Ukraine close down Chornobyl by the year 2000.
How would you assess the international assistance efforts with
respect to Chornobyl since 1986, and especially now, given the G-