NATO HQ 8 Dec . 2005

Introductory statement by NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer at the Meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission at Foreign Ministers’ level Good afternoon and welcome to the NATO-Ukraine Commission in Foreign Ministerial session. Let me begin by extending a warm welcome to our colleague and friend, Borys Tarasyuk. When we met last April in Vilnius, we together embarked upon an ambitious journey. The launch of an Intensified Dialogue on Ukraine’s aspirations to NATO membership and relevant reforms sent a clear signal to the Ukrainian people that the Alliance will do all it can to help Ukraine achieve its goal of full integration into this Alliance. Much work has already been undertaken since then. Allies have learned more about Ukraine’s priorities, and Ukraine has learned more about what would be expected of it, if the country hopes one day to sit at this table as an Ally. High-ranking Ukrainian officials, including Prime Minister Yekhanurov, have come to Brussels to outline Ukraine’s reform agenda. And the North Atlantic Council has visited Ukraine – not just Kyiv, but also Donetsk, Kharkiv and Odessa – to help dispel the stereotypes and explain to the Ukrainian people what NATO really is, and how we are working together with Ukraine for a better common future. We have also undertaken important practical initiatives. A Partnership for Peace Trust Fund, the largest of its kind in history, will help Ukraine with the disposal of dangerous stockpiles of excess munitions. And we are assisting Ukraine with the training of civilian professionals to serve in its security sector, and the re-training of its military personnel. We have intensified our political consultations, exchanging views on the situation in Moldova and other subjects of common interest. And we have continued to develop our operational cooperation in standing up to common security challenges notably in Kosovo, within Operation Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean Sea, and in Afghanistan. Aujourd'hui, les Ministres des affaires étrangères feront le point des progrès réalisés et discuteront des tâches à accomplir. Nous attendons avec intérêt la mise en œuvre du réexamen global du secteur de la sécurité de l'Ukraine annoncé cet automne, ainsi qu'une démonstration claire de la profondeur des réformes démocratiques lorsque les électeurs retourneront aux urnes en mars pour désigner un nouveau Parlement. L'aspiration de l'Ukraine à adhérer à l'Alliance est claire, comme l'est la politique de la porte ouverte de l'OTAN. Mais le rythme des progrès accomplis sur cette voie sera déterminé, non par des calendriers, des événements et des échéances, mais par des résultats concrets dans la mise en œuvre des réformes essentielles. Monsieur le Ministre, soyez assurés que tous autour de cette table demeurent résolus à aider l'Ukraine à continuer d'avancer sur le chemin de la démocratie, de la prospérité et de la réforme. Nous vous souhaitons un plein succès dans cette entreprise, à laquelle nous continuerons d'apporter notre soutien.