4 Dec. 2003

Ministers take stock of NATO-Ukraine relations News 4-5/12/03 - NATO NATO “busy, useful and necessary” 1-2/12/03 - NATO Defence Ministers review NATO's missions and transformation Background NATO-Ukraine relations Progress towards achieving the objectives set out in the NATO-Ukraine Action Plan and in Ukraine’s associated Annual Target Plan for 2003 was the focus of meetings in Brussels of Ukrainian and NATO Foreign and Defence Ministers in December. Reviewing reforms On 5 December, the NATO-Ukraine Commission meeting of Foreign Ministers reviewed the status of NATO-Ukraine relations. Ministers expressed their appreciation of Ukraine’s efforts over the past year to introduce reforms, while emphasising that more needs to be done to ensure practical implementation. In particular they called on Ukraine to ensure free and fair elections, to guarantee media freedoms and rule of law, strengthen civil society and the judiciary, to improve arms export controls, as well as to make progress on defence reform and its funding. Ministers also noted the first annual report on progress made to achieve the objectives of the Action Plan, prepared by NATO’s international civil and military staff. The report underlines areas of significant achievement, while at the same time pointing to gaps and concrete obstacles that continue to limit Ukraine’s achievement of jointly agreed principles and objectives, including its stated long-term goal of NATO membership. In general, progress was assessed to have been best achieved in areas where an objective-based, step-by-step approach has been adopted, and where activities have been properly resourced. Concerns remain over the need for further reform and the effective implementation of legal measures, particularly regarding the guarantee of fundamental freedoms, the rule of law and export controls. Setting goals Looking forward to next year, the report recommended a more concrete, concerted approach to defining future internal and NATO-Ukraine activities. It also called for the development of a coherent strategy to address obstacles to reform such as the insufficient allocation of financial and human resources to the reform effort. Moreover, it suggested that future activities be refocused away from high-level, formal discussions toward more practical projects and cooperation at the working level. Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Hryshchenko stressed that Ukraine would intensify efforts to strengthen democracy, the rule of law, freedom of speech and the media, the separation of powers, and judicial powers. He also underlined that, in 2004, Ukraine will continue to carry forward its defence and security sector reforms, with the aim of creating a democratically controlled and effective defence and security system. Focus on defence reform Defence ministers of NATO and Ukraine met earlier in the week on 2 December to assess progress made in 2003 in implementing defence and security reforms in Ukraine, and to set priorities for joint efforts in 2004. They agreed that NATO-Ukraine cooperation in this field continues to be an effective instrument to bring about systemic changes in Ukraine’s security posture and a key mechanism for achieving the objectives of the NATO-Ukraine Action Plan. The launch of the comprehensive defence review and wider security sector reforms were considered to be among the most significant achievements of 2003. Allied ministers also welcomed positive developments in the area of civil control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, hoping the current momentum would be maintained. Reviewing their agenda for 2004, ministers agreed to prioritise further support for defence and wider security sector reform in Ukraine, strengthening civil and democratic control of Ukraine’s security sector, and managing the consequences of defence reform. Expressing satisfaction with the successful completion of a Greek-led feasibility study for a Partnership for Peace Trust Fund project aimed at the safe destruction of 133,000 tonnes of surplus munitions and 1.5 million small arms and light weapons, they agreed to explore possibilities for the project’s implementation. They also stressed the need to establish a legal framework for NATO-Ukraine cooperation, noting that the Ukrainian authorities aim to conclude the internal ratification process for the Host Nation Support agreement and the memorandum of understanding on Strategic Airlift with no further delays. Defence Minster Yevhen Marchuk, speaking to the press after the meeting, said that it had been “held in a very friendly, but also in a very demanding and critical atmosphere.” He explained that he had briefed his Allied counterparts on plans for 2004 and 2005, saying these years would “mark a new phase in defence reform,” aimed at forming a new, modern defence infrastructure and reducing the size of the armed forces to 200,000 troops by the beginning of 2006. He also thanked his colleagues for their continuing support for Ukraine’s defence reform efforts.