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Updated: 08-Dec-2005 NATO Speeches

NATO HQ

8 Dec . 2005

Press point

by NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
and Borys Tarasyuk, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

De Hoop Scheffer: Once again, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.

If the quality of NATO-Ukraine relationship were to be judged on the frequency of our consultations, the frequency with which Minister Borys Tarasyuk and I or NATO ambassadors or NATO ministers meet, we would score top marks already. We see high level visits of Ukrainian officials, including from the Prime Minister Yekhanurov to NATO Headquarters. We saw the NAC visits to Ukraine. We had the high level consultations on defence issues in Vilnius. We have, and we... we had and we have Intensified Dialogue Meetings, not to mention the recent visit of political, but also cultural figures, quite recently led by Ruslana. I have a nice CD which she gave me on that occasion.

(Laughter)

I'm happy to note that solid substance matches the frequency of our meetings, because it's not only, of course, the frequency of meetings, it's also the substance, which is important here. And I think we've made a lot of progress in a short time. And today's meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission helped us, I think, define the way forward from here.

The Allies stress that NATO's door remains open and that includes possible Ukrainian participation in the Membership Action Plan. The success of Ukraine's aspirations, as you know, as I know, as Minister Tarasyuk knows, will depend, of course, on concrete, measurable progress in reform.

But the Intensified Dialogue is already paying off. Our experts are having frank discussions on the political, economic, defence, military and legal aspects of membership obligations. Plenty of work to do, but this is taking place. And we expect Ukraine to up the pace of necessary reforms, strengthening democratic institutions, fighting corruption and modernizing the whole of its defence and security structure... sector, in the broad sense of the word.

Now in NATO and individual Allies, as you know, that is also inherent in this process, will continue to help where we can.

Three examples: The Partnership for Peace Trust Funds on the destruction of dangerous excess munitions; retraining and resettlement of redundant personnel; and the training of civilian personnel to serve in the Ukrainian security sector.

Ladies and gentlemen, it goes without saying that the conduct of the parliamentary elections in spring '06 will be of great importance. Unnecessary to say that NATO has no favourites in this democratic campaign, but we expect the quality of the process to meet international standards, and we also hope that those who are elected will continue to support reform.

There's no need, however, for Ukraine to demonstrate its determination to contribute to NATO's operations. That's already clear, and in that respect Ukraine is helping to export security and export stability in Afghanistan, in Kosovo, as well as plans for Operation Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean; Darfur.

We will look to strengthen our cooperation, including perhaps for the training mission in Iraq and elsewhere.

I'm glad to see also many Ukrainian journalists here, because I think that Minister Tarasyuk... Borys will agree with me that a lot of work needs to be done to acquaint the Ukrainian people with today's NATO. We did that, the North Atlantic Council ambassadors and myself when we were in Kyiv, and I said there, and let me repeat this here again today with you, my job is not to sell NATO. NATO doesn't need to be sold. Our job is to explain NATO. And when I say our job, that goes for, of course, first and foremost for the Ukrainian government, and I know how active Minister Tarasyuk is in this regard. So it's not selling, it's explaining.

And to conclude, I would like to say ladies and gentlemen, that Ukraine is now a solid contributor to international security. We applaud that, we support it, and we will help Ukraine to reach her goals for integration.

But ultimately, success for Ukraine will be made in Ukraine and by Ukraine.

I think that was the message Minister Tarasyuk heard today from his friends, including me, around the table in the NATO-Ukraine Commission.

Thank you very much. Minister, Borys, please.

Tarasyuk:: Dank u wel, Jaap. There is not that much I can add to what Secretary General just informed you about.

So first of all, I would like to say on our part we are completely satisfied with the result of this meeting of NATO-Ukraine Commission.

Second, I would like to emphasize that in good traditions of this body, this meeting was a meeting of friends who were talking to one another in a very frank and open manner. So this was frank and open exchange of views of friends and partners.

On my part, I briefed the allied ministers and members of the NATO-Ukraine Commission on our contribution to NATO-led operations in Kosovo, in Afghanistan, in operation against terrorism in the Mediterranean, Active Endeavour.

Also I informed NATO partners about our plans for the future, including the transformation of our exclusively military presence in Iraq. We were also talking about the perspectives of our future cooperation, including in the year 2006. I enjoyed the praising from the part of members of NATO-Ukraine Commission; their high assessment of the performance of Ukraine in implementing annual target plan for this year, 2005.

The strong message was about the impact of Orange Revolution to the development of events in Ukraine, and outside. And I think that it will not be an exaggeration to claim that with the Orange Revolution and the victory of democracy in Ukraine, Ukraine has overcome the major obstacle on the way of realization of its Euro-Atlantic vision; that the political criteria finally are being met for the membership. And this is a major contribution into our progress.

Also, I would like to say that we were talking about increasing the level of cooperation and engagement between Ukraine and NATO in the area of defence and security sector reform.

I heard the message that we have to make an emphasis on continuation of reforms and ideals of Orange Revolution into the practice. I heard the recommendation, friendly recommendation, to ... well, to make a major emphasis on the performance. Also I heard the recommendation about our future parliamentary and local elections, and I assured our friends that Ukrainian president is a guarantor of the constitution and the government will do our best in order to meet the expectations of the Ukrainian people.

Those who stood up and protested non-violently for democracy, we will assure fair, free and democratic elections, and we will meet the expectations from our friends in NATO.

Well, that's all I wanted to add to what Secretary General said.

De Hoop Scheffer: Dank u wel, Borys. Dyakooyu. Ministers, that is still well above average.

(Laughter)

Q: National News Agency of Ukraine, (inaudible). I have two questions, one for Secretary General, one for Minister.

Mr. Secretary General, today's agenda of ministerial meetings for seeing the perspective for next decade for development of NATO. What place in these development taking the future enlargement of Alliance and what part of Ukraine foreseen for this process?

And for Minister, if possible, in Ukrainian. (speaking in Ukrainian)...

De Hoop Scheffer: Shall I start by answering that NATO ministers this morning, as I said in an earlier press conference, also discussed upcoming summits and it is clear that when allies say that NATO's door is open, it's also clear that there will be more NATO enlargement. Otherwise, that phase would be a hollow one.

What place Ukraine exactly will have in that process is clear in the sense that we see here a Foreign Minister, we see a government with crystal clear Euro-Atlantic aspirations, ambitions, Atlantic ambitious as far as NATO's concerned. Those ambitions are supported by NATO. I repeat, it's by Ukraine and in Ukraine that the final path will be decided, so you cannot link NATO enlargement to a summit or to summits because that would make it an event-based approach and it is not. It is a performance-based approach.

But it is clear that the mantra, NATO's door is open, it's performance-based and NATO will assist Ukraine wherever it can in implementing these reforms. It's a very clear path. Ukraine is in the driver seat. I remember myself saying this on an earlier occasion. Ukraine is behind the wheel. NATO will see and assist and hope that during that... during the drive along that road to NATO by that Ukrainian car there are petrol stations and garages along the way, if and when necessary for giving assistance.

Tarasyuk:: Well, I will answer according to the request, in Ukrainian. (speaking in Ukrainian)...

Q: (inaudible)... Information Agency Advance Express. If it's possible, in Ukrainian. (speaking in Ukrainian)...

Tarasyuk:: (speaking in Ukrainian)...

Q: I would like to ask both gentlemen, who do you appreciate this declaration NATO-EU... oh sorry, NATO-Ukraine declaration, and what was the main content of this declaration and what this declaration will bring for Ukraine to come closer to NATO? (inaudible)... Ukrainian.

Tarasyuk:: Again in Ukraine?

De Hoop Scheffer: I hope the Minister, yes. In Ukrainian, that is.

Tarasyuk:: No problems. (speaking in Ukrainian)...

De Hoop Scheffer: I have nothing much to add because I think Minister Tarasyuk gave his appreciation of the statement. The statement is, in fact, reiterating what I explained, just the basic position of the Alliance. That is written in the statement, specified on a number of fields as Minister Tarasyuk already explained. So on this point I have nothing much on that.

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