|
Statement
Meeting
of the NATO-Ukraine Commission
in Ambassadorial session
The NATO-Ukraine Commission met in
Ambassadorial session at NATO Headquarters
on 4 May 2001. Members of the Commission
welcomed H.E. Dr. Ihor Kharchenko,
Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine
at the NUC meeting as the head of
Ukraine's delegation.
The Commission reviewed recent developments
in the European security environment
and in this context discussed the
continuing contribution of the NATO-Ukraine
Distinctive Partnership to regional
security. The Commission exchanged
views on the evolving Euro-Atlantic
security and defence architecture,
regional security and the security
of Ukraine, and reiterated that the
security of all states in Euro-Atlantic
area is indivisible. Ukraine welcomed
NATO's continuing efforts to meet
the changing circumstances in European
security and its role, together with
other international organizations,
such as the EU and OSCE, in promoting
Euro-Atlantic security. In this context,
NATO Allies, proceeding from the Charter
on a Distinctive Partnership, welcomed
Ukraine's initiative to consult on
developments in the NATO-EU dialogue
on the issues which have direct impact
on the national security interests
of Ukraine.
Members of the Commission discussed
the situation in the Balkans, and
NATO Allies expressed their appreciation
of the efforts by Ukraine to strengthening
stability, including in Kosovo. The
Commission expressed its deep concern
about recent violence in southern
Serbia and in the northern part of
the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
The Commission strongly condemned
these acts of violence and called
on those responsible to stop them.
In this context members of the Commission
welcomed the effective results of
Ukraine's Presidency in the UN Security
Council aimed at the stabilisation
of the security situation in the region.
The Commission supports the efforts
of the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia(1) to
co-operate with NATO to end the violence.
Members of the Commission exchanged
views on the results of Ukraine-NATO
co-operation during the first six
months of 2001. The Commission welcomed
the adoption in January 2001 of Ukraine's
State Program of Co-operation between
Ukraine and NATO for 2001-2004. In
this connection the Commission considers
that the newly instituted National
co-ordinators will be an important
tool to further deepen the NATO-Ukraine
distinctive partnership. The Commission
expressed its appreciation that a
number of promising projects are being
developed in the framework of NATO-Ukraine
co-operation in different spheres.
The Commission welcomed the effective
co-operation between Ukraine and NATO
in defence reform. Between October
2000 and May 2001, the NATO-Ukraine
Joint Working Group met several times
at different levels in Kyiv. The Commission
noted with satisfaction the effective
cooperation between Ukraine and NATO
and implementation of the activities
agreed under Joint Working Group Defence
Reform (JWGDR). The decision to extend
the JWGDR to include a broad range
of ministries and organisations engaged
in security and defence matters has
led to the development of new activities
such as the series of round tables
with the Verkhovna Rada. The decision
to use the Planning and Review Process
as a tool of defence reform objectives
represents a new innovative approach
to our common work. Ukraine welcomed
the assistance of NATO and of several
individual Allies, including Canada,
Netherlands, the United Kingdom and
Poland in this field.
In the field of economic-related
activities, the Commission noted with
satisfaction that on 26 February 2001
NATO and Ukraine signed a second agreement,
for 2001, On the Practical Implementation
of the NATO-Ukraine Programme Concerning
Retraining of Discharged or to be
Discharged Military Personnel in Ukraine
, and expressed its satisfaction that
discussions on Defence planing, programming
and budgeting are scheduled to be
held in the Rada on 13 June.
In the field of nonproliferation,
the Commission welcomed Ukraine's
readiness to develop practical modalities
of NATO-Ukraine co-operation, specifically
with the Senior Defence Group on Proliferation
(DGP) and the NATO Weapons of Mass
Destruction Centre. In this context,
members of the Commission noted that
NATO-Ukraine consultations on WMD
are planned for May 2001.
Ukraine expressed deep gratitude
for the prompt and effective reaction
to the urgent request of Ukraine in
connection with the flood in Trans-Carpathia.
The important technical assistance
provided to the flood-affected region
by the Netherlands, Hungary, and a
number of other Allies and partner
countries substantially helped the
Ukrainian Authorities to cope with
this tragic natural disaster and to
mitigate its consequences. Ukraine
also expressed its appreciation for
the efficient and professional contribution
of the NATO Civil Emergency Planning
Directorate and Euro-Atlantic Disaster
Response Co-ordination Centre (EADRCC),
which effectively co-ordinated assistance.
In this context the Commission underlined
the importance and timeliness of the
Ukraine-NATO Pilot Project on the
flood prevention with the participation
of Moldova, Romania and Slovakia which
is to be launched in the nearest future.
The Commission assessed positively
the results of four years of activity
of the NATO Information and Documentation
Center in Ukraine and two years of
activity of the NATO Liaison Office
in Ukraine.
1. Turkey recognizes
the Republic of Macedonia under its
constitutional name.
|
