NATO-Ukraine Commission's joint statement to the press (10/30/05)

NATO-Ukraine Commission's joint statement to the press

Following is the text of the joint press statement issued at the conclusion of the NATO-Ukraine Commission Meeting held in Kyiv on October 19.

At the April 2005 meeting of NATO-Ukraine Commission (NUC) foreign ministers, NATO and Ukraine launched an Intensified Dialogue on Ukraine's aspirations to NATO membership and relevant reforms, without prejudice to any eventual alliance decision. Today in Kyiv, the NATO-Ukraine Commission held its first meeting in the framework of this Intensified Dialogue. NATO Ambassadors were welcomed by Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk and Defense Minister Anatolii Hrytsenko, who participated in the meeting on behalf of Ukraine.

Members of the commission discussed Ukrainian efforts to implement reforms required of European democracies interested in pursuing alliance membership. They noted with satisfaction that a fruitful first round of expert consultations in the framework of the Intensified Dialogue was held in September between high-level Ukrainian officials and NATO international staff, and indicated they will remain engaged as this process continues.

Foreign Minister Tarasyuk briefed allies on internal political developments in Ukraine and priority issues of Ukraine's foreign policy, including the enhancement of regional security. He reaffirmed Ukraine's interest in NATO membership, and its desire to join the Membership Action Plan. In this connection, he also outlined Ukraine's ongoing efforts to ensure economic growth, the further democratization of governmental institutions, including in the defense and security sectors, the enhancement of the rule of law, including through judicial reform, the conduct of free and fair elections, and the continued fight against corruption. He reconfirmed Ukraine's commitment to implement these and all other aspects of the Ukraine-NATO Action Plan.

Defense Minister Hrytsenko informed the NUC about progress to date and future plans in the area of defense reform. He underlined that the MOD [Ministry of Defense] will continue to reform the armed forces of Ukraine to bring them closer to Euro-Atlantic standards, especially by developing interoperability with allied forces as a basis for active participation in, and support of, NATO-led operations. The minister looked forward to further discussions of Ukraine's defense and security sector reform plans with allies at the NATO-Ukraine high-level consultations in Vilnius [Lithuania] on October 23-24.

Allied ambassadors reaffirmed NATO's open-door policy, while underscoring that NATO remains a performance-based organization founded on shared values. They reiterated their commitment to the Intensified Dialogue, with a view to further supporting the achievement of Ukraine's reform objectives and her Euro-Atlantic integration aspirations. They welcomed the reform efforts of the Ukrainian leadership and encouraged Ukraine to fully utilize the Intensified Dialogue process to advance reforms. In this vein, they underscored that concrete progress in the key reform and policy areas discussed with Ministers Tarasyuk and Hrytsenko would be the prerequisite and ultimate measure against which Ukraine's aspirations to NATO membership would be considered. They looked forward to reviewing Ukraine's implementation of the NATO-Ukraine Action Plan at the NUC ministerial session in December.

NATO ambassadors thanked Ukraine for its warm hospitality. They welcomed the further discussions they would have of NATO-Ukraine cooperation with both the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine and the Verkhovna Rada, as well as the opportunity to engage the Ukrainian people directly through seminars and information activities in Donetsk, Kharkiv and Odesa.

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