Joint Press Statement
Meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission
at the level of Ambassadors
with H.E. Mr. Volodymyr Ohryzko, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
and
H.E. Mr. Yuriy Yekharunov, Minister of Defence of Ukraine
held in
Kyiv on 16 June 2008
- Today Ukraine hosted a high level meeting of the NATO-Ukraine
Commission in Kyiv in the context of the Intensified Dialogue1,
where NATO Ambassadors were welcomed by Foreign Minister Volodymyr
Ogryzko and Defence Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov. This meeting is part
of a two-day information and outreach visit of the North Atlantic Council
in Ukraine upon the invitation of the Ukrainian Authorities. The NAC
also met with President Yushchenko and the National Security and Defence
Council of Ukraine; and will meet with Prime Minister Tymoshenko and
members of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers; and Speaker Yatsenyuk
and Members of the Verkhovna Rada. This visit follows three previous
NAC visits to Ukraine, the latest in 2005.
- The NATO-Ukraine Commission exchanged views on status
and prospects of NATO-Ukraine relations and cooperation in the context
of Bucharest Summit decisions, including Ukraine’s Membership Action
Plan (MAP) application, remaining challenges and relevant reforms.
- The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine emphasised
that Ukraine attaches particular importance to this NAC visit during
the period of intensive engagement after the Bucharest Summit. Minister
Ogryzko underlined that Ukraine has high expectations for the NATO
ministerial meeting in December this year, and expressed Ukraine’s
hope that the first assessment to be made by Allies at the above meeting
of Ukraine’s progress towards NATO membership will result in Ukraine’s
invitation to join MAP. The Ukrainian Minister expressed satisfaction
with the current level of development of political dialogue and practical
cooperation between Ukraine and NATO, and said that Ukraine will do
its utmost to continue this positive trend in the future. Minister
Ogryzko assured the NAC that Ukraine will undertake further significant
efforts to strengthen political dialogue and practical cooperation
with the Alliance, as well as enhance all efforts related to Ukraine’s
Euro-Atlantic integration. Among the priorities, Minister Ogryzko outlined
continuation of democratic, political, economic and legal reforms;
the fight against corruption; improvement of the system of coordination
of cooperation with NATO and a strong public information campaign on
NATO issues. The Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Yuriy Yekhanurov,
briefed Allies on the current developments in the process of reforming
military, security and defence sectors of Ukraine, as well as about
future plans in these areas
- Allied Ambassadors recalled the Declaration
and the NUC Joint Statement at Bucharest, in which NATO Heads of State
and Government
“ welcomed Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations
for membership in NATO. They agreed that Ukraine will
become a member of NATO. MAP is the next step for Ukraine on
its direct way to membership. Allies made clear that they support Ukraine’s
application for MAP. Therefore they will now begin a period of intensive
engagement with Ukraine at a high political level
to address the questions still outstanding pertaining to its MAP
application. Allies have asked NATO Foreign Ministers to make a first
assessment of progress at their December 2008 meeting. Allied Foreign
Ministers have the authority to decide on the MAP application of Ukraine.”
- The well-structured and mutually beneficial
relationship between NATO and Ukraine over the past 11 years in the
Distinctive Partnership has contributed, and will continue to contribute,
to regional and Euro-Atlantic security. NATO and Ukraine face the same
security threats and challenges and cooperate extensively in meeting
them, including through operational cooperation in Kosovo, Operation
Active Endeavour, Afghanistan and NATO Training Mission-Iraq. The on-going
Intensified Dialogue, covering the full range of political, military,
financial and security issues, has been instrumental in contributing
to Ukraine’s progress thus far towards achieving Euro-Atlantic standards.
Allied Ambassadors encouraged Ukraine to continue to follow this path.
Members of the Commission reiterated their commitment to making full
use of all existing instruments of the NATO-Ukraine Partnership.
- Recalling the productive outcome of the NUC Defence Ministers meeting
on 13 June, Allied Ambassadors appreciated that practical co-operation
has been enhanced. Allies noted
in particular the recent confirmation of Ukraine’s willingness to contribute
to the UK-France Helicopter Initiative; its participation in Air Situation
Data Exchange (ASDE) and welcomed its offer to participate in the NATO
Response Force (NRF), as the first Partner to do so. They welcomed
further efforts by Ukraine to deploy additional personnel in ISAF;
and to facilitate land transit for ISAF through Ukraine.
- Allies emphasized that further enhancing political dialogue and practical
cooperation between Ukraine and the Alliance will help advance Ukraine’s
democratic transformation, reform goals and fulfilment of its international
obligations. Noting the challenges faced and progress achieved by Ukraine,
Allies underscored the importance of Ukraine’s commitment to continue
to implement political, economic, defence and security sector reforms,
aimed also at strengthening democracy and the rule of law. Ambassadors
looked forward to the implementation of actions contained in the Annual
Target Plan 2008 and reaffirmed NATO’s determination to assist Ukraine’s
efforts through consultations and practical cooperation.
- Allies welcomed Ukraine’s increasing efforts to inform the Ukrainian
public about the Alliance and NATO-Ukraine co-operation. They noted
with appreciation the recent adoption of the 2008-2011 State Programme
on Informing the Ukrainian Society on Euro-Atlantic Integration. They
expressed the hope that the implementation of this programme with the
allocation of adequate resources will contribute to improving perceptions
about NATO. At the same time, they reaffirmed NATO’s support for Ukraine's
public information efforts throughout the country.
- Allied
Ambassadors are looking forward to dialogue with the Ukrainian public
during their visits to Dnipropetrovs’k, Kharkiv and L’viv. Allied Ambassadors
will also have the possibility of witnessing concrete cooperative Science
for Peace and Security projects in Ukraine. They expressed their thanks
to Ukraine for its warm welcome.
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