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US Removes Piracy Sanctions From Ukraine 157

Posted by ScuttleMonkey from the carrot-on-a-stick dept.
An anonymous reader writes The US has restored Ukraine to their preferred trade partner status after requiring the country to crack down on piracy. The United States had also imposed 100-percent import duties on $75 million worth of Ukrainian exports since 2002." From the article: "Concern over high piracy rates prompted the Bush administration to suspend Ukraine from the program in 2001. At that time, Ukraine was the largest producer and exporter of pirated CDs and DVDs in Europe, USTR said."
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US Removes Piracy Sanctions From Ukraine More

US Removes Piracy Sanctions From Ukraine

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  • $75 million in trade over three years???? (Score:4, Funny)

    by Anonymous Crowhead ( 577505 ) on Monday January 23, 2006 @08:04PM (#14545052)
    I'm surprised both of our economies didn't collapse. How could we do without the Ukraine?

  • I had no idea . . . (Score:5, Funny)

    by Ph33r th3 g(O)at ( 592622 ) on Monday January 23, 2006 @08:08PM (#14545076)
    . . . Ukraine even had a significant maritime presence, much less was engaged in piracy.

  • Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)

    by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) on Monday January 23, 2006 @08:11PM (#14545097)
    Comment removed based on user account deletion

    • Re:New relationship because of the elections (Score:4, Insightful)

      by KiloByte ( 825081 ) on Monday January 23, 2006 @08:28PM (#14545204)
      The consequences of the election of Yushenko are already evident. Ukrainian traditional culture is being eroded before one's eyes.

      Do you mean, 300 years of Russian occupation didn't really have any negative effects?
      They have just freed themselves from a powerful, warmongering, authoritarian neighbour. Give them a chance, and forgive them the urge to find new allies with some clout.
      • 300 years of occupation my arse. 2006-1654 is 352 years.

        Ukraine was having the shit beaten out of it by the Polish during the second phase of the Secession from Poland war.

        It asked for protection and assistance. In fact it begged for it. Its own Duma voted unanimously to request it and it asked for it in officially in a letter. And after that as was customary spent an astronomical amount of money in graft payments to the major families in the Russian Duma to get this through.

        Learn your history. Searching fo

    • Re:New relationship because of the elections (Score:5, Insightful)

      by gkuz ( 706134 ) on Monday January 23, 2006 @09:02PM (#14545402)
      Ukrainian young people want to align themselves so much with the West

      Deciding this for themselves is, then, anathema to you? They are supposed to want what you want?

      this is Ukraine rapidly getting the life sucked out of it by a new administration that doesn't care about its own country

      Led by a president who very nearly gave his life just as a consequence of running for President, to throw off the Russian yoke -- that's how little he cares about his own country? Who speaks Ukrainian -- not Russian -- at every official function because Ukrainian is the official language. His language. A language Yanukovich doesn't even speak.

      (but at least the Russians are fellow Orthodox)

      Many Ukrainians are not Orthodox. Many of those that are do not belong to the Moscow Patriarchate.

      Please learn some more before you go back again.

      • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

        by account_deleted ( 4530225 )
        Comment removed based on user account deletion

        • Re:New relationship because of the elections (Score:5, Insightful)

          by gkuz ( 706134 ) on Monday January 23, 2006 @09:36PM (#14545542)
          Orthodoxy is the historic faith of most of Ukraine

          One should be careful in using words like "historic" or "always". What faith did Volodymyr take on in 988? Is that even a meaningful question, pre-Schism? So what does "historic" mean? Or "always Russian-speaking"? What was being spoken when Kyiv was golden domes and Muscovy was a swamp?

          A Belgian solution may indeed have been found. But it wasn't. The Ukrainians I talk to know they are Ukrainians. They don't want to be Poles or Belgians or Americans. Let them decide, OK? Your cultural chauvinism, saying what they are "supposed" to want, is as bad as what you deride.

          • Comment removed based on user account deletion
            • I'd rather let the Church and those Ukrainians proud of their culture decide. And they wouldn't decide Yushchenko.

              I think most of those who froze on the Maidan back in December of 2004 were and are proud of their culture, and they have decided. Were you there? Are you aware of the risks they took, the sacrifices they made?

              Or do you subscribe to the theory that they were all bought and paid for by Soros?

              • Comment removed based on user account deletion

                • Re:New relationship because of the elections (Score:4, Insightful)

                  by gkuz ( 706134 ) on Monday January 23, 2006 @10:17PM (#14545724)
                  How many of these people are devout Orthodox, listen to traditional music, wear appropriate clothing, and spurn Western influences?

                  Forgive me, I didn't realize I was talking to Solzhenitsyn.

                  What in the world is "appropriate clothing"? What is "traditional music"? Which century would you like these people to live in? If they choose to be 21st century Europeans, that's their choice, not yours.

                • Re:New relationship because of the elections (Score:4, Insightful)

                  by martinX ( 672498 ) on Monday January 23, 2006 @10:34PM (#14545820)
                  You know, there was a time when this traditional music you speak of was The Newest Sound Around. And it was probably derided by the traditionalists back then...
                • Except they weren't proud of their culture, they were proud of the American culture they are adopting. How many of these people are devout Orthodox, listen to traditional music, wear appropriate clothing, and spurn Western influences? Not very many.
                  Wow. Change the word Orthodox to Muslim and you sound just like Osama.
                • "Except they weren't proud of their culture, they were proud of the American culture they are adopting. How many of these people are devout Orthodox, listen to traditional music, wear appropriate clothing, and spurn Western influences? Not very many."

                  I've been there. They only align themselves with the USA out of expediency, they are truly proud of themselves regardless of which official language they speak. Ukraine is a very forward thinking country, so naturally they admire the achievments of other forw
                  • I think you were speaking completely out of your ass.

                    Not completely. Gotta give him credit. Equating desire for democracy and freedom with losing their own culture, and saying that conservatives and pro-russians should decide because it's more akin to their "roots", that is as fine propaganda as I've ever seen. Kudos.
        • No people should be allowed to extinguish their precious diversity.

          I wonder how much of your precious diversity you have preserved.

          Have you restored your parents' car, or did you buy a new one? Or perhaps back to the horse and buggy, or perhaps a more historical item such as bare feet?

          How did you enter your slashdot article, using an old typewriter, or one of them new fangled punch card systems?

          Does your abode have oil lamps?

          Do you get your heat from wood, or perhaps electricity or natural gas?

          For that mat
        • "They are supposed to continue what their proud ancestors accomplished,"

          What, taking it up the rear from neighbors east and west?

          "No people should be allowed to extinguish their precious diversity."

          Who are you to decide what somebody else should or should not be allowed to do with their own lives?

          "That no official status was granted to Russian and Rusyn is an outrage."

          To whom, the Russians?

          "Orthodoxy is the historic faith of most of Ukraine."

          It's nice to know that my grandmother's family didn't count.

          "That
        • What is happening now is cultural suicide. No people should be allowed to extinguish their precious diversity.

          I don't wear a kilt and I don't eat haggis, even on Robbie Burns' birthday (and you should be happy - nobody wants to see me in a kilt). I don't play the bagpipes.

          And I don't farm or raise sheep on a tiny chunk of land on a barren, windswept rock of an island off the coast of Scotland. Why? Because my great great grandparents had the decency to get the hell off of Barra and high tail it to Canada
      • oh come on. that surzhik he speaks you call ukrainian? you are so anti everything that is russian that you willingly falling for people whos only election program is to be against something but with no other thoughts. most ukrainians i know, who aren't so full of it, realize that at that time both candidates were nothing other than bandits. one of them was openly a bandit, the other tries to hide it behind nationalistic speaches and tries to earn serious money on the nationalism.
    • Ukrainian traditional culture was 'dying' ever since Kathrin disbanded Kazaks, it survived USSR it will survive junk food and Internet. If anything Yushenko gave Ukraine a shot at becoming a democracy, instead of slipping back into totalitarian Imperialism like Russia. If anything he is pro EU, since it's the only sane alternative to Russia.

      Oh and C.Cola and McD. are present in Ukraine ever since early 90th, its all produced locally and owned by local businesses that don't pay much loyalties since all books
    • Ah, It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. You love to be sensational and emotional without any intelligence behind it. I hope you don't live your life this way.
    • Yes, that Coca-Cola and McDonalds and Rock and Roll... the young people are powerless to resist, muhahahahaha! Why, I can't think of a single reason why young people in the Ukraine would want to ally themselves with the west, not with that big friendly pal of thiers Russia looking out for them, and the years of prosperity and freedom under Soviet rule... that is, until the mind altering substances like fried potato sticks, sugar cola, and Brittany Spears warped their helpless little minds!

      Its time we all st
      • Its time we all stand up to thi... what is that?... Brittany? Brittany, is that you holding out an ice cold Pepsi? And you are telling me that NATO, NATO IS THE ONLY WAY TO WIN YOUR LOVE!?!?!?! BRITTANY!!! I WILL DO ANYTHING!!! JUST GIVE ME THAT McBURGER AND YOUR LOVE BRITTANY!!! BRITTANY!!!!!!!!!! BRITTANY?!?!?!?!

        Is this "Brittany" you speak of the United Kingdom? 'Cause that would make sense too, in a disturbing kind of way.

  • There's more to this... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by SQFreak ( 844876 ) on Monday January 23, 2006 @08:14PM (#14545120)
    You know there's more to this story than just piracy legislation. Also in the news today, Ukraine's Yushchenko Wants to Join EU [bloomberg.com]. That's a trend; Yushchenko is a pro-Western, mostly anti-Russian leader. Is there any doubt that the US is going to help a nation trying to reform its democracy as Ukraine is doing? This is just one of the ways the US will help.
    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
      • I disagree... You're saying that all countries in the EU lose their power to Brussels? While there are people who believe that, and, to some extent, a good number of economic decisions are made in Brussels, I don't see that entering the EU is a downside for most countries. Usually, it gives the countries that join a huge economic jump; take Ireland for example. I don't believe Ukraine will lose its distinctive culture. Half of Ukraine is ethnically Russian anyway, not ethnically Ukrainian. In the election
      • Change is bad. Culture is being lost. Morals are degrading. The language is being corrupted. People have been saying this for as long as history exists, yet we're still around today. If thousands of years of wanton self-annhiliation hasn't destroyed humanity, then I don't think anything is going to destroy Ukrainian culture in your lifetime, or your grandchildren's lifetimes, or their great grandchildren's lifetimes. Sure, people will still be complaining that it really is happening, but they've been doing
      • All decisions? The UK managed to go to Iraq and the Eurocrats had no say in the matter whatsoever, which is a pretty important power don't you think. Don't believe the lies in the right-wing press; the EU has a lot less power over people's lives than is pretended. Remember that the UK press barons are terrified of having the EU impose sane Europe-wide laws on media ownership, hence the constant attacks on it.
    • As a Russian, I'm quite surprised to hear that Yuschenko is anti-Russian. Our wannabe-world-dominatrix president uses every chance to punish him for not being his sub, which prompts a (sometimes not very friendly) reaction, but (afair) he's never been caught saying something anti-Russian (otherwise our puppet tv would be touting it daily)
      • Which is precisely what I mean by being anti-Russian - he's pulling Ukraine away from Russia's (and, effectively, Putin's) influence. I view it as anti-Russian, but he's not overtly saying that he is against Putin or Russia.

  • **AA Goverment (Score:4, Insightful)

    by jonfr ( 888673 ) on Monday January 23, 2006 @08:15PM (#14545131)
    /scarsam

    When did the MPAA and RIAA get into the U.S goverment ? I am also sure that Ukraine goverment has been "figthing" piracy. Since there is so much less real crime in that country.

    Somebody in the U.S goverment needs to be reconnected to reality.

    scarsam/

  • Letter from Dubya (Score:3, Funny)

    by nodnarb1978 ( 725530 ) on Monday January 23, 2006 @08:25PM (#14545189) Homepage
    Mr. Viktory Yushchenkoff,

    You're welcome. May we have some nice light sweet crude and/or Liquified Natural Gas, please? If you can send us both, I can totally hook you up with some nice F-16 Fighting Falcons. Get back to me.

    Your pal, Dubya
    • What part of this is funny? This is how countries work. This is how countries have always worked. For example, it's no coincidence that the last years of the US Great Depression were shortly before it entered World War II; we needed raw materials, they needed arms, so we set up a similar trade.

      Just because it's oil, jets, and hegemony instead of iron, cotton, and slaves doesn't make a difference.
      • Go easy; I recognize that ordinarily that would be quite a troll, and, on reflection, I'm surprised it wasn't modded as such. That said, I meant it as an equal-time barb, not a full-fledged indictment of capitalism.
    • May we have some nice light sweet crude and/or Liquified Natural Gas, please?

      Dear Mr George Georgovitch Bush,

      Sorry, but we're running rather low on natural gas ourselves at the moment. The Russians are hogging the whole supply and using the money to buy footballers. If you could help us out with the gas bill to Sibneft, though, we'd be happy to send some your way.

  • In Soviet Russia, CDs pirate you.
  • Now that we lifted the restrictions, we should start buying their planes... they're much better than our shit.

  • [Piracy review] Currently in Kyiv, Ukraine... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Zx-man ( 759966 ) on Tuesday January 24, 2006 @02:42AM (#14546792)
    ...And we have a new piracy-related industry here since the USSR broke down: so-called "Computer Clubs"... It's interesting to see how it evolves.

    Imagine an Internet-Café without the Internet. A bunch of computers set up specifically to play games on, connected to a LAN with servers filled with pr0n, muzak and warez. Basically, this is it. You may come to play some games, bring your HDD / iPod / pack of DVD-R's or amuse yourself with the most interesting feature: the pirated Windows that says it is not Windows.

    The clubs' owner usually cooperate in order hire several cracker who RES-EDIT an MSWin distribution - change the interface, icons, text and sometimes rewrite the EXPLORER.EXE to look entirely different - it is almost a tradition to use Borland Dephi for this.
    Here are the screenshots: http://tinyurl.com/9ddgo [tinyurl.com]

    One of the popular "pre-modified" distributions in "BedOS 2 [Tanya]" - a heavily hacked Win98. Yet the computer illiteracy of the "copyright protectors" lets people who run the "Computer Clubs" to get past the law by claiming that what they are using _is not actually Windows_ (!). See http://winbeos98.km.ru/ [winbeos98.km.ru] for further deteil

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