Opening of the ministerial meeting of the NACC/ Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) Sintra, Portugal 30 May 1997

Statement by H.E. Anton Buteyko First deputy foreign minister of Ukraine

Mr. Secretary general, Esteemed ministers, Excellencies, Creation of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council will constitute a new important institutional step in the still ongoing process of NATO's internal and external transformation and adaptation to new realities within the emerging European security environment. It is of particular importance that by establishing the EAPC all the partners create appropriate mechanism to consult more deeply and broadly on the issues of common concern, as well as to participate in the PfP decision making. What Ukrainian delegation is most appreciative of are the principles of inclusiveness and self-differentiation, which are lade down as the Basic Elements of the EAPC operation. Quite symbolically, the decision to create the EAPC coincided in time with another important political step - Foreign minister of Ukraine H. Udovenko and Secretary general of NATO J. Solana initialled the Charter on special partnership between Ukraine and NATO. According to this Charter both sides committed themselves "to further broaden and strengthen their co-operation and to develop a distinctive and effective partnership, which will promote further stability and common democratic values in Central and Eastern Europe." We are deeply convinced, and we appreciate that all Allies share our opinion, that signing of Ukraine-NATO at the Madrid Summit in July will constitute another extremely important step towards building up Europe more united, more stable and more secure. Our participation in EAPC and arrangements envisaged by the Charter will not contradict one another, but rather complement each other. Deepening of co-operation with NATO and bringing it to a qualitatively new level of Special Partnership corresponds to the general Ukraine's strategy of gradual integration with the full range of European and Euro-Atlantic structures. It is only in this context that we see strategic perspective for Ukraine's stable development as an independent European nation. Establishment of special Ukraine-NATO relations will become a guarantee of avoiding new dividing lines in Europe, creating "spheres of influence" or "grey security zones", and thus, in the process of NATO enlargement, will contribute to stability and security of all European nations. In this context let me also express Ukraine's satisfaction that both NATO and the Russian Federation completed successfully the long negotiations, which have ended up recently by signing the Founding Act on NATO-Russia relations. It was always of Ukraine's opinion that strong and enduring NATO-Russia partnership, aimed at creating in Europe of a common space of security and stability without spheres of influence limiting the sovereignty of any state, is one of the most important factors in building up new foundations for European security architecture. We take special note of the fact that according to this document, its provisions "can not be used as a means to disadvantage the interests of other states". It should be noted that Euro-Atlantic integration is a multidimensional process. Along the consolidation of co-operation between NATO and Partners, another important dimension of this process is strengthening good-neighbourly relations between partners themselves. In this context let me also inform you that another important political event, affecting the general stability and security climate in Europe, is about to occur. I mean the Big Political Treaty between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, which is scheduled to be signed tomorrow in Kyiv. It can be regarded as a new stage in Ukrainian-Russian relations as relations of two new independent states. I am glad to inform you that the day before yesterday the two nations have at least found long-awaited solution of the most contentious issue, which negatively affected bilateral relations - the Black Sea Fleet of the former Soviet Union. Ukraine's strategic policy line is integration into major European and Euro-Atlantic structures. We are committed to continue providing a substantial contribution into peace and stability in Europe. Just some recent examples conclusion of agreements on Black Sea Fleet; tomorrow's signing of Major Framework Treaty with Russia; finalisation and planned signing of the Major Treaty with Rumania; conclusion of the Border-line Treaty with Belarus; last week's signing by President Kuchma and President Kwasnewski of Poland of historic Declaration on Reconciliation and Unity between Poles and Ukrainians; the recent meeting of our President with Presidents of Poland and Baltic States in Tallinn; participation as a guarantor of peaceful settlement in Trans-Dnistria, Moldova; opening of the first and only NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine. We think that these achievements, along with the line of the other important positive developments in modern European endeavours, brings all of us closer to the goal of building up new Europe - stable, peaceful, undivided, whole and free, to the benefit of all its nations.