Inauguration of NATO-Ukraine
Partnership Network

The primary objective of this initiative is to increase interaction between civil society groups and security practitioners in NATO member countries and Ukraine in order to share experience and develop ideas on the role of civil society in defence and security affairs.

The inauguration took place on the occasion of the Fourth Annual Assembly of the NATO-Ukraine Civic League. Non-governmental organizations from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Switzerland and the United States also attended as partners of the Civic League.

Democratic control of forces

Discussion focused on ideas for possible activities to be launched by the network and ways in which civil society groups in Allied countries and other Partner countries could help their Ukrainian counterparts to contribute to democratic oversight of Ukraine's security sector and promote the idea of Euro-Atlantic integration.

The NATO-Ukraine Joint Working Group on Defence Reform (JWGDR) has been working to promote the establishment of the Partnership Network, since the idea was first floated last summer. This led to the signing of a letter of intent in support of the initiative by 14 Allies and Ukraine, at the high-level NATO-Ukraine consulations in Sintra, Portugal, on 5 October 2006.

Speaking at the inauguration, George Katsirdakis of NATO's Defence Policy and Planning Division explained that "being an alliance of democratic states, NATO attaches great importance to civil and democratic control of security forces." He also emphasised that "ownership of the network's activities by Ukraine's and Allied civil society groups will be critical to its success" -- Allied and Ukraine governments should only play supporting roles in the implementation of the network.

The next event to be organised under the Partnership Network will take place in Warsaw on 27 April.  The conference will focus on experiences from security sector transformations in Central and Eastern Europe and their relevance to the situation in Ukraine.