Meeting
of the NATO-Ukraine Commission
in Foreign Ministers'Session
The NATO-Ukraine Commission met at the level
of Foreign Ministers in Reykjavik on 15 May.
While reviewing the evolving security situation in the Euro-Atlantic
area, Ministers paid tribute to the strategic nature of the Distinctive
Partnership between NATO and Ukraine, and underlined Ukraine's and NATO's
desire to take their relationship forward to a qualitatively new level,
including through intensified consultations and cooperation on political,
economic and defence issues.
To that end, the NATO-Ukraine Commission at Ministerial level has tasked
Ambassadors to explore and develop, in the coming months, building on
the Charter on a Distinctive Partnership, a deepened and broadened NATO-Ukraine
relationship. Ministers intend that a reinforced relationship be defined
in time for, or prior to, the meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission,
at the level of Heads of State and Government, in Prague in November 2002.
Allied Ministers welcomed the statement by Minister Zlenko that NATO
enlargement is an important feature for the strengthening of European
security, and that NATO's open-door policy is one of the major elements
of overall European integration processes which enhance the level of national
security of Ukraine in the context of the Euro-Atlantic integration policy
of Ukraine.
Allied Ministers commended Ukraine's practical contribution to Allied
efforts in the international fight against terrorism, including active
involvement of Ukraine's military transport aviation for deployment of
Allied troops in Afghanistan, and the opening of its air space to Allied
aircraft participating in the anti-terrorist campaign.
NATO and Ukraine emphasised their commitment to promote long term stability
in the Balkans through regional reconciliation and cooperation, goodneighbourliness,
stable and secure borders, protection of the rights of members of ethnic
groups and minorities, confidence building measures, and a lasting resolution
to the problem of refugees and displaced persons. While expressing special
appreciation of KFOR's efforts in bringing stability to Kosovo, NATO Ministers
welcomed Ukraine's decision to continue its contribution to KFOR through
Ukraine's component of the Polish-Ukrainian Battalion.
The Commission welcomed the approval by the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint
Council, meeting at the level of Foreign Ministers yesterday, of a document
on the creation of a new NATO-Russia Council.
Ministers noted the implementation of the NATO-Ukraine Work Plan for
the year 2002. They welcomed the progress made in the area of defence
reform, as well as the productive NATO-Ukraine political consultations
on the Balkans on 5 February 2002, and during the special meeting of the
NATO-Ukraine Commission with the participation of the Prime Minister of
Ukraine on 1 March 2002.
Ministers confirmed that the next meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission
in ambassadorial session will take place in Kyiv on 9 July 2002 to mark
the 5th Anniversary of the NATO-Ukraine Charter, and take stock of achievements
to date. Ambassadors will also review the progress made in the follow-up
to today's tasking, in preparing the meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission
at the level of Heads of State and Government in Prague in November 2002.
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