BRAMA, Jun 12, 2003, 1:00 pm ET
Press Release
Meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission
in Defence Ministers' Session
NATO Headquarters, Brussels, 12 June 2003
Left to right : General Volodymyr Shkidchenko, Minister of Defence Ukraine and NATO Secretary General, Lord Robertson.
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The NATO-Ukraine Commission met today in Defence Ministerial
Session at NATO Headquarters. Ministers discussed the contribution of
the NATO-Ukraine Distinctive Partnership to peace and stability in the
Euro-Atlantic area and reviewed the implementation of defence and security
sector aspects of the NATO-Ukraine Action Plan and Annual Target Plan
2003 (ATP) including the efforts of the Joint Working Group on Defence
Reform (JWGDR).
Minister Shkidchenko outlined Ukraine's ongoing efforts to carry
forward its defence and security sector reforms aimed at providing a democratically
controlled and cost-effective organization able to ensure its sovereignty
and territorial integrity, and to contribute to peace and stability in
the Euro-Atlantic area. NATO Ministers welcomed the effort that Ukraine
has made to implement its commitments made in Prague, but also agreed
that much more remains to be done.
While emphasizing that defence and security sector reform is a national
responsibility, Allied Ministers reaffirmed support for Ukraine's
actions and agreed to continue efforts aimed at strengthening the link
between bilateral cooperation and NATO-Ukraine initiatives such as those
developed under the Joint Working Group on Defence Reform (JWGDR). In
this context, nations noted with appreciation the offer of Poland that
an informal event for Ministers be conducted in Poland in 2004 along the
lines of the successful informal consultations conducted in Washington
on 4-5 May 2003.
Ministers noted with satisfaction that the PfP Trust Fund Project, led
by Canada, for the destruction of 400,000 anti-personnel land mines had
been completed in Donetsk on 27 May 2003. They welcomed the efforts led
by Greece to prepare a feasibility study for a further trust fund project
aimed at the safe destruction of 133,000 tons of surplus munitions and
1.5 million small arms and light weapons. Ministers also noted the report
from SACLANT and Ukraine on progress made in the development of a MOU
on Strategic Airlift.
The Commission noted the Co-Chairmen's report of the recent semi-annual
assessment meeting held on the implementation of the Action Plan and ATP
2003 and the PfP Planning and Review Assessment for 2003.
Ministers discussed the progress of NATO-led operations in the Balkans
and expressed particular appreciation for the contribution of the Polish-Ukraine
Battalion and the Belgian-Luxembourg-Romanian-Ukrainian multinational
battle group BELUKROKO. Allied Ministers also commended Ukraine's
contribution to the fight against terrorism, including Ukraine's
assistance to Afghanistan, and welcomed Ukraine's intention to contribute
to stabilization efforts in Iraq.
The Commission also commended the contributions to NATO-Ukraine cooperation
made by the NATO Liaison Office and the NATO Information and Documentation
Centre, both located in Kyiv.
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