Joint press conference

with NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
and the acting Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Volodymyr Khandogiy

De Hoop Scheffer:  Very good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen.  I'm very glad and happy to share the podium this afternoon with acting Minister Khandogiy, a well-known person here at NATO, a former ambassador.  In other words, an "old NATO hand" as I said in a meeting a moment ago.  We're very happy to have you with us Minister Khandogiy.  Let me start by asking you if you could pass all my congratulations to former Minister Yatsenyuk for being elected to the prestigious position of speaker of the Rada. 

Then, Ladies and Gentlemen, let me turn to the meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission.  And I express last but not at all least as far as this year's of meetings are concerned we've had today; because the NATO-Ukraine partnership is a partnership with real substance. 

Ukraine is the only partner nation, partner country of NATO - and as you know there are very many indeed - which is contributing to each and every one of the NATO missions and operations.  And that is remarkable.  I commend Ukraine for that.  But it's also a remarkable development. 

What did we do?  Of course, we discussed deepening our cooperation further as well as our support, NATO support, continued support for Ukraine's successful reforms, including through the so-called annual target plan for 2008 which we hope will be approved by Kiev very soon.

Of course, Minister Khandogiy also updated the Allies on the political situation in Ukraine which is, as we all know, evolving quickly.  And NATO ministers were pleased to hear, I can say, that Ukraine intends to pursue the path of Euro-Atlantic integration.  And they committed once again and reaffirmed that they are committed to help Ukraine on the path.

And as Minister Khandogiy said in the meeting, we'll help in that process Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations without undue rush, but at the same time without undue delay. 

So I do consider this meeting as the start of meetings of the NATO-Ukraine Commission at different levels.  I can add that I hope that as soon as a foreign minister will be... will have been appointed in Ukraine that foreign... Ukrainian foreign minister will come to NATO so that we continue... can continue a dialogue with him or her as well.  And what we also discussed briefly in the meeting of the N.U.C. we just had is the fact that we have decided in Bucharest in the beginning of April next year to have a meeting of the NATO-European Commission at the head of State and government level which I think is a very positive decision indeed.

This is what I can tell you.  It's now with pleasure that I ask acting Foreign Minister Khandogiy to take the floor.

Khandogiy:  Thank you very much Mister Secretary General.  First of all, I would like to say that our delegation and me personally we're quite satisfied with the outcome of the NATO-Ukraine Commission meeting. 

We are very pleased with the announcement about the meeting in Bucharest in the format of N.U.C. at the level of the heads of State or Government.  And we, also in a traditional spirit of frank and open exchange of views, we had a discussion in this N.U.C. meeting today and I'm very grateful to all the participants of that meeting. 

I would like to emphasize that I have expressed and I would like to reiterate our appreciation for the positive evaluation by NATO Foreign ministers and Heads of delegations on democratic reforms, the conduct of free and fair elections, early parliamentary reaction to Verkhovna Rada. 

On my part, I've briefed, as you have said already, members of the Commission on Ukraine's participation in NATO-led operations.  And indeed we are proud that we are the only partner country that participates in all NATO-led peacekeeping and antiterrorist organizations. 

We have discussed during the meeting progress made in implementing the NATO-Ukraine annual target plan.  We have announced, stated that we're about to complete the NATO-Ukraine annual target plan for 2008.  And we're prepared to work closely with NATO within that framework.  We also discussed very important.... touched base... touched very important issue.  It's the cooperation within the NATO-PfP Trust Fund for destruction of small arms, light weapons and men portable air-defence systems.  It's the biggest ever project that have been conducted by NATO with any country.  And there is... it's very important for us since as you know we have inherited quite a sizeable stock of excess munitions and small arms.  And certainly we have devoted a lot of attention to the future prospects of our cooperation with NATO. 

Our strong message was... Ukraine's strong message was that next year in Bucharest we'll be able and willing to discuss our future steps in terms of joining the Membership Action Plan.  I have reiterated certainly the strategic goal of Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration policy and that is the membership as a final goal of this policy.  And we have agreed to continue our cooperation and our meetings for the future and between now and the Bucharest Summit.  Thank you.

Q:  News Interfax Ukraine.  After the early parliament reaction, Ukraine got a new democratic (SIC) coalition.  Question for both Sir, high representative sorry.  Do you think that these new democratic coalition can reinforce integrational process for Ukraine on the way to be a member of NATO?  Thank you.

Khandogiy:  Eh, yes, we proceed from the reading of the coalition agreement in which there are very clear messages, including Euro-Atlantic integration policy of Ukraine, membership in NATO and joining the Membership Action Plan.  That's why we are pretty much sure that the new coalition and the government that will be formed will continue and will implement that provision of the coalition agreement. 

De Hoop Scheffer:  Let me add from my side that the reason I made my remarks about the hopefully the appointed... soon-to-be-appointed Ukrainian Foreign minister will come to NATO is that we have to continue this discussion that the Allies are of course indeed keen as Minister Khandogiy is saying to be informed about the foreign policy. 

We know the elements because Minister Khandogiy had just outlined them:  the new Ukrainian coalition; the new foreign policy, or the foreign policy line I should say, the new coalition is going to take and is going to make.  And we will continue the discussion on Ukraine's aspirations.  I used, I think, the phrase "without undue delay, without undue rush"  And it is... it is as we've always have said from the beginning...  And the NATO Allies and Ukraine know that both very well.  This is a performance-based process.  And it will stay a performance-based process. 

We'll support in reforms and in Ukraine itself as I stressed during the meeting as well.  It is of course up to Ukrainians, the Government, and not to the people to say and to decide what they want, and the direction in which they want to go.  It is crystal clear from what Minister Khandogiy has told us this afternoon in what direction Ukraine wants to go:  that it the path for EuroAtlantic integration.  There can be no misunderstanding about that. 

Q:  (INAUDIBLE)  News Agency of Ukraine.  First question to acting Minister.  Volodymyr how do you consider if Ukraine has enough resources and political will to conduct that information campaign of public awareness to... you know... to consolidate the public opinion around the NATO issue?  And to Secretary General if possible, today, we are speaking mainly about achievements.  But could you Sir mention the main reason which is not allowing NATO in certain terms to speak about the future map for Ukraine in Bucharest.

Khandogiy:  As far as the information campaign is concerned, certainly we have a political will.  There is no doubt about it.  We just adopted  at the level of the cabinet Ministers a concept of the State program for bringing information to the... for raising public awareness let me put it this way about NATO-Ukraine cooperation.  That is a very ambition concept.  And on the basis of that concept we're just finalizing the state program as such. 

Certainly, as far as the resources are concerned, there's always a lack of resources.  But we're pretty much hopeful and I would say convinced that this State program which is a continuation of the program that we had before would be more effective and successful.

De Hoop Scheffer:  Let me answer your question as I've done many times.  Because this is of course the whole discussion we have on NATO enlargement as well in Bucharest.  If I would answer it either in the positive or the negative which I will not do, then I would leave the central ... the central thesis... my central thesis and the Alliance central thesis that this is performance based.  It's not calendar based.  You cannot say there is a ministerial or there is a summit and as a consequence at that summit etc.  That is not the case.  It is performance-based.  And let me repeat what I said. 

The cause acting Minister Khandogiy has set out this afternoon is clear.  We'll wait until the new government will be built in Ukraine.  We’ll see the foreign policy cause.  I hope that we can receive the Ukrainian Foreign Minister soon and the rest is based on performance. 

Q:  To the Minister, Poland has declared recently that it is willing to share the information on the missile defence system with its neighbours.  Have Ukraine taken their opportunity today to ask the question that it might have?  And does Ukraine have any questions?  To the Secretary General, NATO over the forum today to discuss the missile defence system, are you going to see yourself as a mediator in helping to solve the situation between Russia and the United States?

Khandogiy:  If I understand you correctly it's about the willingness of Poland to share...

Q:  Does Ukraine have any questions?  Does Ukraine have any questions for Poland in regard to the placement of missile defence system?

Khandogiy:  Well, obviously, this was not the subject of today's meeting in the first place.  Certainly, we consult and discuss with Poland a number of issues, including this one, and we are ready to continue this discussion.

De Hoop Scheffer:  We are now on that question... I think then leaving the subject of Ukraine.

De Hoop Scheffer:  I told Minister Khandogiy that he's...

Khandogiy:  If you don't mind..

De Hoop Scheffer:  ...free to stay, free to leave.  But Minister Khandogiy decided to stay and I think that's very helpful.  But I must ask you.  I did not get your question.  What you meant?  What you exactly mean by "offering a forum"?

Q:  It looks like NATO today played a role of mediator, was trying to find a solution for the missile defence issue between Poland, Czech Republic, Russia.

De Hoop Scheffer:  No, I don't think you can phrase like this.  It has been discussed.  Missile defence is one of the issues discussed in the NATO-Russia Council.  And you also know that the minds do not meet in this regard.  But we have to make clear distinctions between what is happening in the bilateral contacts and talks between our American allies and Poland and the Czech Republic on the interceptors and the radar station.  That is not a NATO track.  And NATO's ongoing discussion on missile defence which, as you know, is more focused on theatre missile defence. 

But you cannot qualify this morning's meeting as NATO as a mediator.  NATO offers a political forum by itself because it's a political alliance, it has a political element as well in discussing these kinds of issues.  So there's a NATO discussion on theatre missile defence.  There's a bilateral track between the Americans and the Polish, Americans and the Czech Republic.  And then there is the NATO-Russia Council where the subject of missile defence in general is being discussed. And it was an open and frank discussion. 

As you've heard from James Appathurai I think this morning between Sergey Lavrov the Russian Foreign minister in the NRC and the NATO Ministers.  Let me underline that if I say it, the NRC is a 27 forum.  It's not a 26 +1 forum.  There was an open frank discussion where on a number of issues, as James would have told, the minds do not meet. 

But the conclusion of that meeting was a very positive one because it was shared by all the Ministers that this is one of the fora, not the only one, but one of the fora where the NATO Allies and Russia can speak openly, freely and frankly also on issues which divide them.

I mean it would be a bit easy to only discuss items and issues we agree upon.  There are a number of issues we do not agree upon.  Missile defence is one.  Syria is one.  Kosovo is one.  But this was discussed at length in the NRC.  The reason that the Mediterranean Dialogue luncheon started a little bit later.  But I'll say a word about this in a moment.