Statement
on NATO-Ukraine
Meeting in Foreign Ministers' Session
Brussels, 14 December 2000
The NATO-Ukraine Commission
met in Foreign Ministers' session
at NATO Headquarters on 14 December
2000.
Ministers discussed
questions related to regional security
in the Euro-Atlantic area and, in
this context, welcomed the contribution
of the NATO-Ukraine partnership
to European security. The Members
of the Commission expressed their
appreciation for the contribution
of Ukraine to strengthening regional
stability, establishing good neighbourly
relations, and addressing unresolved
conflicts in the area.
Ministers discussed
the situation in the Balkans. They
welcomed the Ukrainian contribution
to KFOR both through its helicopter
unit and the Ukrainian component
of the Polish-Ukrainian battalion.
Ministers reaffirmed their commitment
to the full implementation of UNSCR
1244 ensuring a multi-ethnic and
democratic Kosovo within the FRY.
Minister Zlenko briefed
Allied Ministers on the initiative
of the President of Ukraine towards
the elaboration of a comprehensive
strategy of conflict prevention,
including improvements in preparing
for peacekeeping operations.
Minister Zlenko informed
the Commission of the latest steps
taken in implementing Ukraine's
policy of European integration and
of broadening NATO-Ukraine relations
on the basis of the Charter on a
Distinctive Partnership. The Commission
expressed its appreciation for the
continuing efforts of President
Leonid Kuchma to carry this process
forward. Members of the Commission
noted Ukraine's interest in the
recent developments regarding NATO-EU
arrangements.
Ministers stressed
the importance of the recent resumption
of the parliamentary dimension of
NATO-Ukraine cooperation. Ministers
welcomed the ratification by the
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty on
16 November 2000 as a practical
step by Ukraine in further strengthening
European security and stability.
The Members of the
Commission noted the significant
progress made in NATO-Ukraine co-operation
under the Charter since their last
meeting in Florence. They welcomed
the exchange of high-profile visits
and a wide range of political and
expert level consultations. They
underlined the substantial enhancement
of NATO-Ukraine co-operative activities,
including, inter alia, in the Joint
Working Group on Civil Emergency
Planning and through the first ever
EAPC exercise of the Euro-Atlantic
Disaster Response Coordination Centre
(EADRCC) and Euro-Atlantic Disaster
Response Unit (EADRU) - "Trans-Carpathia
2000" -, hosted by Ukraine
; in the Open-Ended Joint Working
Group on Economic Security; in the
NATO-Ukraine Joint Project on retraining
of retired Ukrainian military personnel
and in a Course on Defence Economics
for Ukrainian officials organised
in Kyiv ; and in the establishment
of the Joint Working Group on Science
and Environment.
Ministers expressed
appreciation for the work and accomplishments
of the Joint Working Group on Defence
Reform. They highlighted the results
of the senior level meeting of the
Joint Working Group on Defence Reform
on 5 October 2000 and expressed
their high expectations for the
extensive programme of activities
identified by the Group for 2001.
Members of the Commission welcomed
the use of the PfP Planning and
Review Process to support Ukraine's
National Programme on the reforming
and development of the Armed Forces
of Ukraine for the period up to
2005.
Ministers exchanged
views on the implementation of NATO's
Weapons of Mass Destruction initiative
to support non-proliferation efforts
and agreed to further explore modalities
of NATO-Ukraine consultations and
co-operation on WMD-related matters.
Ministers endorsed
an ambitious Work Plan for 2001.
They placed particular emphasis
on continued political consultations
and practical cooperation, covering
a wide range of activities, such
as defence reform, economics, science
and technology, civil emergency
planning, military-technical co-operation,
armaments and standardisation. Ministers
welcomed the steps undertaken by
Ukraine in the implementation of
Ukraine's State Programme on Co-operation
(USPC) with NATO for the period
up to the year 2001, as well as
the on-going preparation of the
USPC for the period 2001-2004.
Members of the Commission
expressed their satisfaction with
the work of the NATO Information
and Documentation Centre and the
NATO Liaison Office in Ukraine,
and agreed to continue to actively
support them in fulfilling their
respective missions.
Ministers expressed
their appreciation for the decision
by President Kuchma to close the
Chornobyl nuclear power plant.
The Commission agreed
to hold the next meeting in Foreign
Ministerial session in Budapest
in May 2001.
