19 Apr. 2004

Partnership with Ukraine a priority, says Secretary General Background NATO-Ukraine relations News 16/04/04 - NATO NATO Secretary General to visit Ukraine 31/03/04 - NATO NATO-Ukraine 2004 Target Plan online Official texts NATO-Ukraine 2004 Target Plan in the Framework of the NATO-Ukraine Action Plan (.PDF/469KB) Foreign Minister Gryshchenko visited NATO HQ in January 2004 NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer reiterated the Alliance’s commitment to its partnership with Ukraine, but called for more progress on democracy during a visit on 19 April. During his visit to Kyiv, the Secretary General met with President Leonid Kuchma, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, Foreign Minister Kostantyn Gryshchenko, Defence Minister Yevhen Marchuk and members of the Parliament. Discussions focused on plans for NATO-Ukraine cooperation in 2004. On 22 March NATO and Ukraine approved the Annual NATO-Ukraine Target Plan for 2004, which outlines activities and reforms Ukraine plans to undertake this year. Progress depends on Ukraine The Secretary General said the Plan provided a good framework for bringing Ukraine closer to its stated goal of NATO membership. He also praised Ukraine for its contribution to both NATO-led and international peacekeeping efforts across the globe. He stressed however that further progress depended Ukraine delivering on its democracy and human right commitments. "NATO attaches great importance, as does the European Union for instance, to elements and values like the rule of law, democracy, freedom of the media," the Secretary General told reporters after a meeting with Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Gryshchenko. "And we certainly hope and expect that Ukraine will also pay due attention to these values in the political process in this country," he said. The Secretary General also said that NATO and Ukraine are preparing an agreement that will allow NATO to use Ukraine’s military transport aircraft for its missions. These and other defence reform issues are expected to be further discussed at an informal meeting of NATO Defence Ministers and their Ukrainian counterpart in Warsaw at the beginning of June.