28 May 2004

Meeting of NATO-Ukraine Working Group on Science and Environment Background NATO-Ukraine Partnership NATO Security Through Science Programme A meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Joint Working Group on Scientific and Environmental Cooperation took place at NATO HQ on 28 May. One goal of the meeting was to consider appropriate actions for the Working Group to initiate in order to increase NATO-Ukraine co-operation in the field of science and environment. The Working Group agreed to retain for the coming year the current special research areas for NATO-Ukraine scientific collaboration, following the interest in these subjects which had been demonstrated by the scientific community in the past year. The research areas are: information technologies; cell biology and biotechnology; new materials and substances; environmental protection; rational use of natural resources. Consideration was given to a number of special projects, among which was a possible conference on the subject of technology transfer from science to business, which would aim at enhancing sustainable R&D in Ukraine and the transfer of technology to local and foreign companies. It was agreed that this would be pursued with the Ukraine-based international organisation STCU - the Science and Technology Centre of Ukraine - in the coming weeks. One concern often expressed in previous years by the Ukrainian participants in the Working Group had been the brain drain of scientists and experts from their country. NATO participants were now able to point to the new Reintegration Grants, launched by the Science Committee this year, offering grants to Ukrainian, and other Partner country, scientists to enable them to return to their home countries and consolidate their research after a period working abroad. It was reported to the Group that NATO-Ukraine co-operation in the field of science and environment had been incorporated into the NATO-Ukraine Annual Target Plan for 2004. There were sixteen participants in the Working Group, including seven from Ukraine and it was co-chaired by Mr. Jean Fournet, Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy and Prof. Andriy Gurzhiy, First Deputy Minister for Education and Science of Ukraine. This was one of the annual meetings which take place under the auspices of the NATO-Ukraine Commission.