. 3, when Mykola Tomenko of Our Ukraine distributed an unsigned memo, alleged to have originated in the Presidential Administration, giving TV stations detailed instructions on how they were to cover events.
The following is a slightly edited translation of another memo titled “Press release” and dated Sept. 13. It was allegedly sent from the Presidential Administration to the management of a central TV station. It was leaked to the Post by employees of the station.
Attention
Please cover the day’s events in the following order in all this evening’s news bulletins:
1. Please begin all news bulletins with the announcement that a requiem concert is being held in memory of the victims of the Sept. 11 tragedy. President Leonid Kuchma is attending.
2. President Leonid Kuchma took part in an Internet conference. The president made a number of important statements. The main points are:
* he will step down as president in 2004;
* he is convinced that Ukraine does not need a dictatorship any more than other countries;
* he considers that the government is ready for dialogue with the public, but society itself is not ready for this. “Open government is like a road with two‑way traffic.”
3. Developments surrounding the protest actions planned for Sept. 16.
A) On Sept. 12, Shevchenko District Court banned the protest action planned by the Yulia Tymoshenko Block, Socialist Party and Communist Party for Sept. 16 in the center of Kyiv. The ruling was final and is not subject to appeal.
According to the court decision, participants in the action will not be allowed to gather in central Kyiv on Sept. 16. In line with the decision of the city authorities, the action is to be held at the Chayka airfield on the outskirts of Kyiv. Supporters of the president will hold meetings on Hlushkova Prospekt. A number of mass events have been held at Chayka, most notably the divine service conducted by Pope John Paul II in 2001. It was well organized and excesses were avoided.
Please use archive videos from the Pope’s service, showing militia, ambulances and bio‑toilets. The number of participants should be mentioned.
B) On Sept. 13, the Donetsk, Kharkiv and Ternopil oblast councils adopted appeals concerning the Sept. 16 action. The event is important and timely. The texts will be distributed shortly.
C) The Presidium of the Ukrainian Trade Unions Federation adopted a statement saying it is inappropriate to support the Sept. 16’s action and recommending their chairman not to take part in “this or other political actions.”
The event is important and timely. You are requested to emphasize when quoting the text that TUF chairman Oleksandr Stoyanov signed the statement while showing Stoyanov’s picture or some video.
D) The Lviv Oblast committee of the Communist Party has announced that it will not participate in the Sept. 16 actions due to provocative statements made by some nationalistic deputies.
The event is timely.
E) Presidential Administration head Viktor Medvedchuk made a speech commenting on the Sept. 16 events. The event is important and timely. Please quote the text in full.
4. The State Tax Administration has commented on the detention of an assistant to Rada Deputy Oleksandr Turchynov of the Yulia Tymoshenko bloc with a big sum of cash.
The event is sharp and timely. Videos of the detention will be distributed. Please give it broad coverage.
5. General Prosecutor Svyatoslav Pyskun was on an official visit to Strasbourg Sept. 11‑Sept. 13 at the invitation of the general secretary of the Council of Europe. He made a speech at a meeting in the Committee of Ministers.
The event is important and timely.
6. An explosion was averted at a Lviv Oblast mine. The head of the oblast Internal Affairs Department held a press conference.
The event is important and timely. According to the Lviv Internal Affairs Department, the incident was not connected to the Sept. 16 action.
7. The Emergencies Ministry held a meeting in Uzhgorod on Sept. 13 attended by Emergencies Minister Vasyl Durdynets and Rada Deputy V. Rizak [Editor’s Note: Presumably, this refers to Ivan Rizak, a member of the SDPU(u) faction]. The meeting concerned eliminating the consequences of flooding.
For the information of editorial offices.
8. Deputy Yury Karamzin has announced that he received information about the whereabouts of Gongadze’s head.
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