NATO HQ, Brussels 9 June 2005

Speech By Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Anatoliy Gritsenko JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER (NATO Secretary General): Once again good afternoon. Let me start by warmly welcoming Minister Gritsenko who did attend the first meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission in his capacity as Ukrainian Defence Minister. Minister let me tell you also, here publicly, Ukraine is building a new future for itself, not in the West or in the East but in Ukraine and NATO is and will be your partner in this respect. Before giving a brief account of the meeting let me remind you of the background of our relationship. Of course, on top of our longstanding distinctive partnership NATO and Ukraine have recently launched, as you know in Vilnius not too long ago, an Intensified Dialogue process to deepen and focus our relation; and I think we're all pleased with how well it has begun both on the political side and on the practical side. And today's discussions in the NATO-Ukraine Commission focused on two topics: reform of the security and defence sector in Ukraine and Ukraine's support to NATO-led operations; and I'm happy to report that on both issues we had a good discussion and assessed real progress. As far as the first topic security and defence reform is concerned, we confirm today the two elements of success: Ukraine's commitment to significant but necessary changes and NATO's pledge to assist in making them. The agenda is serious and demanding. Institution building, democratic oversight, personnel, defence planning, are the essential elements of a modern efficient defence structure; and Minister Gritsenko extensively briefed us on his ambitious program for the development of Ukraine's Armed Forces by 2011. And the Allies in turn stressed the need for comprehensive reform of course not limited to the military sector alone. All of this will be followed up, of course, in the framework of the NATO-Ukraine Joint Working Group on Defence Reform. Let's be clear, these reforms are not being done for their own sake, both NATO and Ukraine have Forces deployed in the field helping to bring stability in the Balkans and other regions and we need the right Forces--effective, deployable, sustainable, affordable, I've used those words before--to do the job. Ministers very much welcomed Ukraine's intention to continue to contribute to KFOR in Kosovo and to continue its support to ISAF in Afghanistan. And they also discussed the possibility of Ukrainian support for our training mission in Iraq and they looked at Ukrainian support for Operation Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean. In fact, NATO military experts are currently with their Ukrainian counterparts on precisely this issue and... but the Minister will have something to say about this himself without any doubt. We touched on the possibility and had some good news in fact about Ukrainian capabilities who might be available to assist NATO's support of the African Union Mission in Darfur we discussed before earlier this day which would be an excellent package of practical cooperation in the field. If we take it all together it is fairly important indeed and a very important example Ukraine is giving. Finally, one brief word about the future and our plans. Allies will implement a Trust Fund project for the destruction of surplus munitions, small arms and light weapons and MANPADS (shoulder-fired missiles) in Ukraine. This project is about to take off and we hope to start actual destruction by the end of this summer, and an anti-terrorist exercise with a scenario involving the use of chemical weapons will take place in Ukraine in the Framework of the Partnership for Peace in October. There should be no doubt- there should be no doubt this relationship is delivering results and it's moving forward. I can tell you that in the fall of this year we'll have the high-level defence consultations between Ukraine and NATO. I'll preside those myself; it will be in Vilnius in Lithuania. I can tell you that the NATO-Ukraine Commission at the level of ambassadors will meet in Kiev in the fall. I'll visit Kiev, as you know, at the end of this month so we have a full plate, a very interesting agenda, and it is on the word interesting that I would very warmly and like- warmly welcome you again Minister Gritsenko and gladly give you the floor. ANATOLIY GRITSENKO (Minister of Defence of Ukraine): Thank you very much Mr. Secretary General. Indeed the discussion today was very warm and frank and (inaudible), one that enhances more confidence in our efforts- joint efforts. I would say and I am proud to say that it was the Orange Revolution in Ukraine that has proven for many millions of people in Europe and throughout the world that Ukrainians indeed share the values that are common to leading European and North American democracies. The new leadership of Ukraine has clearly stated that the main priority of our foreign and security policy is European and Euro-Atlantic integration. And, we state that the current status of our cooperation with NATO which is NATO-Ukraine Action Plan and Intensified Dialogue, fixed formally in Vilnius is a good and another part(?) at this stage a framework for deepening of our cooperation. Our speed on the path toward NATO membership I would say mainly depends on us, on Ukrainians. We know what to do and our success is mainly- depends on us. For the last ten years Ukrainian soldiers along with NATO soldiers fulfilled very important, sometimes very dangerous, tasks and we have real success stories bringing stability and security in different regions. We are committed to continue our presence in the Balkans in KFOR. We are committed to cooperate with our NATO partners in Iraq, in Afghanistan. We are also considering rendering assistance to the peacekeeping mission which is supported by NATO in Sudan. I am glad that this discussion we had today mainly supported the main priorities of our military reform and wider security sector reform and we have established a very productive framework, the so-called Joint Working Group on Defence Reform. And I believe that we should widen the tasks and the mission of the group covering reform of the security sector; probably exports(?) control and other very important for both NATO and Ukrainian spheres. Thank you. Q (National News Agency of Ukraine): If possible I ask the question in Ukrainian. (TRANSLATION BEGINS) Mr. Minister you have just said that Ukraine has the intention of continuing to work in Afghanistan and in Iraq with NATO operations. How will Ukraine do this and when will it happen? GRITSENKO: As far as our support in NATO operations in Iraq and Afghanistan during these last months and years, Ukraine has been supporting NATO operations in these countries. We've had 7,500 over-flights of NATO aircraft over Ukraine. We are ready to create a corridor in order to furnish products of a non-military nature. We are ready to give formation to Afghan soldiers in Ukraine or to do this training in Afghanistan. As far as the- Ukraine is also ready to make this corridor work for military purposes. As to Ukraine's responsibility, you know that we have lost a great many lives in this region of the world and it's very important that we maintain an economic and other equilibrium. We are convinced that Ukraine can continue to work in another role, for example as far as training and education is concerned in the- for the preparation of experts for the Iraq military. This can be technical expertise. This can be armaments expertise. This can be the fact of welcoming them in our colleges and universities. This is a very real and practical way of helping. Also managing different contracts even, outside of the military sphere, to encourage our civilian companies to get involved. Thank you very much. (TRANSLATION ENDS) Q: (Financial Times) Minister a question if I may. Does the current constitutional crisis in Europe and what appears to be a lack of enthusiasm for further enlargement of the European Union make NATO membership for Ukraine all the more important over the medium term? GRITSENKO: I would not link our future membership in both NATO and EU to the current, I would say, temporary problems or delay with institutionalization of the Union as such. Still there is a way ahead to join the European Union and you know how difficult the way it is. Regarding Ukraine's NATO membership I said today that the final term-of course it's a political decision on the two sides but if, theoretically, it's less dependent upon our successes or failures in the military sphere. To be more frank, if military aspect of our cooperation that proved to be stable, quite stable, for the last years despite some very visible political clouds on the top, if that aspect is of highest importance we could be in NATO--I stress theoretically--in two or three years because Ukraine is a country that can really contribute and really contributes right now even (inaudible) with some other aspirants or even the current NATO members. But you all understand that if you look at the annual target plan or the NATO-Ukraine Action Plan, we feel that roughly 20 percent of that document is related to the military. The rest, and which is more important I would say and which is more difficult to deal with, which is free market economy, the justice system, the protection of basic rights and freedoms, free and fair election, fighting corruption, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, and that is roughly 80 percent. So I believe that current difficulties cannot seriously affect our movement towards the EU or NATO because that moment is dependent mainly on us, on Ukrainians. (TRANSLATION BEGINS) Q (Radio Liberty): Mr. Minister, can you say in what way Ukraine can help as far as the joint mission in Darfur is concerned? Will Ukraine be helping in terms of aircraft, of cargo, (inaudible) what are the other resources that will be involved? GRITSENKO: Thank you for this question but I think I've already answered it before. It's a question of a peacekeeping mission with the African Union that NATO is supporting and we suggested that we'd look at the possibility of involving Ukraine indeed in terms of cargo aircraft and perhaps transport of servicemen. We have not yet talked about a concrete calendar because the concrete planning has not yet been fixed but this probably will be an operation that will last quite a while and Ukraine will be able to be involved notably in terms of transportation.