Remarks by
Ambassador William B. Taylor
on July 4th Celebration
Kyiv, Ukraine
July 6, 2006
[In Ukrainian] Ladies and gentlemen, friends, colleagues, guests! Welcome to our celebration of the independence of the United States of America. I am very glad to see you.
[Continues in English] Even though I have not yet moved into the Residence, I am very glad to welcome you here to this house.
I am honored that Foreign Minister Tarasyuk, Members of the Cabinet, and other officials of the Government of Urkaine are with us here tonight. To the new Rada members, I wish them well. Also, welcome to my colleagues from other embassies and international institutions. Welcome guests from Ukraine's rich cultural, religious, judicial, educational, medical, media, NGOs and business communities. A special welcome to our corporate sponsors who have helped make this celebration possible.
Thank you all for coming to help us celebrate our independence.
Independence is a great thing, an exhilarating thing. With all due respect to our British cousins, we are very glad to be independent. And I suspect the British are just as glad to be rid of us!
Independence does not solve all problems. It is very messy and takes time. It was 16 years from our Declaration of Independence in 1776 until George Washington took office as our first President.
Ukraine knows independence -- and the problems that go along with it. We got past our problems - I am confident that Ukraine will, too.
Our two nations, and others represented here today, are part, as your great poet said, of the great family of free nations. [In Ukrainian] A large family, a free family.
[Continues in English] So now, as Taras Shevchenko probably said, and as George Washington would surely have agreed,
Будьмо!