[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 7] [Senate] [Page 9388] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRIBUTE TO AMBASSADOR OLEH SHAMSHUR Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I wish today to mention the outstanding work of an ambassador who is leaving Washington after 4 years of distinguished achievement--Ambassador Oleh Shamshur of Ukraine. There is little doubt that he has made a major contribution to strengthening bilateral relations between our countries. Ambassador Shamshur was one of the senior negotiators of the United States-Ukraine Charter on Strategic Partnership signed on December 19, 2008, which elevated relations between the United States and Ukraine to a new level. The charter is a living document and continues to guide cooperation between the two countries. On April 12, 2010, President Obama and President Yanukovych reaffirmed their commitment to the charter and expressed their intention to realize its full potential. Ambassador Shamshur also played an important role in the establishment of the United States-Ukrainian Strategic Partnership Commission and participated in its first inaugural session in December 2009. The commission has reinvigorated relations between the United States and Ukraine with an ongoing dialog and program of cooperation on issues of democracy, economic freedom and prosperity, security and territorial integrity, energy security, defense-related cooperation, the rule of law, and people-to-people contacts. During Ambassador Shamshur's tenure in Washington, Ukraine once more demonstrated its important leadership on the question of nonproliferation and arms control issues. Cooperation on these issues between Washington and Kyiv has been significantly enhanced. These efforts were conspicuous in the positive outcome of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington. While in Washington, Ambassador Shamshur's accomplishments were not limited to issues of international security or geopolitics. Early on in his service here, the United States reinstated tariff preferences for Ukraine under the Generalized System of Preferences and granted Ukraine market economy status. The Ambassador was instrumental in the efforts that led to Ukraine's graduation from the Jackson-Vanick Amendment on 23 March 2006. The United States and Ukraine were also able to sign a bilateral agreement on market access issues, which became a key step in Ukraine's eventual joining the World Trade Organization. The establishment of the United States-Ukraine Council on Trade and Investment in March 2008 was also a result of Ambassador Shamshur's tireless efforts. This year, Ambassador Shamshur can also claim credit for the resolution of difficulties surrounding the operation of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation in Ukraine and its return to the Ukrainian market. Many of us on Capitol Hill and in the administration share an appreciation for Ambassador Oleh Shamshur's achievements. He leaves relations between Ukraine and the United States immeasurably stronger for having served here these 4 years. We wish him and the Ukrainian people well on the occasion of his departure. ____________________