KUCHMA CRITICIZES PREDECESSOR’S MISTAKES IN ECONOMIC POLICY.

Speaking on the fourth anniversary of Ukrainian independence August24, Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma said that the period hadbeen one of "wasted opportunities, significant mistakes,unbalanced decisions and unfounded declarations," Ukrinformreported. Nonetheless, he suggested, real progress had been madetoward improving the lives of the people: the basis for a Ukrainian-stylemarket economy had been laid, real incomes have risen 15 percentover the last six months, and Ukraine is increasing its exportsfaster than any other CIS country. At the same time, however,Kuchma called for an end to a policy of "blindly" followingWestern models, a statement that raises questions about his commitmentto further economic reforms.

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