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25 September 1998
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Ukrainian Delegation Attending UN General Assembly 53rd Session In New York
Activities of the Ukrainian delegation led by Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk, who is attending the 53rd session of the UN General Assembly in New York, are aimed at further developing of bilateral cooperation with UN member-nations and influential regional and international structures. During the first day of the Ukrainian delegation's work at the session, Borys Tarasyuk met with his Chinese counterpart Tan Xiasuang, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico Rosario Green, US State Secretary Madeleine Albright, and held brief private meetings with representatives of a number of US companies. On the same day, Mr. Tarasyuk attended a round table staged by the "Eurasian Group" organization, which unites politologists and economists of 40 countries of the world. Addressing the attendants, the Ukrainian foreign minister informed them about basic lines of the foreign policy of Ukraine, accentuated the implementation of the strategic task of the Ukrainian state toward integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures, and stressed Ukraine's role as a strategic connecting link between different regions of Europe and Asia.
Foreign Minister Tarasyuk Addresses UN General Assembly
On September 23, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk has addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York. In his address, Mr. Tarasyuk appraised the reforms taking place within the UN and confirmed Ukraine's commitment to the reforms initiated by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and implemented during the previous session of the UN General Assembly, which was presided over by Ukraine's Hennadii Udovenko. While stating the positive and negative aspects of globalization, the Ukrainian foreign minister stressed the United Nations' responsibility for international stability and sustained development. He reminded the assembly of Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma's call for the setting up a UN Economic Security Council, which he made in a 1995 address to the United Nations. Mr. Tarasyuk also drew attention to the issue of nonproliferation of nuclear weapons. He reminded the assembly of Ukraine's unprecedented contributions to nuclear disarmament and called on other nations to further reduce their nuclear arsenals with the goal of ultimately eliminating nuclear weapons. He also urged the so-called threshold countries to renounce their nuclear ambitions. Mr. Tarasyuk presented Ukraine's vision of the future European security architecture. According to him, it should be based on the principle of comprehensiveness, indivisibility, and partnership. He praised the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe as an important pan-European mechanism for preserving stability on the continent. He called for closer cooperation between the OSCE and the United Nations and stated the need to coordinate their activities. Mr. Tarasyuk briefed the General Assembly about the outcome of the first round of consultations in Kiev conducted by delegations from several Black Sea nations, which were aimed at drafting mechanisms for promoting trust and security in the Black Sea region. He also reported on the broad acceptance of Ukrainian President Kuchma's initiative on convening in Yalta in September 1999 a summit "Baltic-Black Sea Cooperation - into an Integrated Europe of the 21st Century without Dividing Lines." The Ukrainian minister called upon United Nations member-states to work harder to achieve progress in creating a more reliable and predictable world, and promote economic prosperity, social justice and ecological security. In conclusion, Mr. Tarasyuk underlined that the strive for a reformed and renewed United Nations Organization that will cater to people's interests and human needs must be proved through actions.
Foreign Minister Tarasyuk Meets With UN Secretary-General Annan
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk has met with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the UN headquarters in New York. K. Annan and B. Tarasyuk exchanged views on international affairs and cooperation between Ukraine and the United Nations. Mr. Tarasyuk delivered to Mr. Annan a personal message from Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma and renewed, on Mr. Kuchma's behalf, an invitation for Mr. Annan to pay an official visit to Ukraine. Mr. Tarasyuk expressed Ukraine's full support for Mr. Annan's programs for reforming the UN, and confirmed Ukraine's intention to remain one of the most active members of the organization. In response, Mr. Annan thanked the Ukrainian leadership for the invitation, and noted Ukraine's active role and constructive contributions to various aspects of the United Nations' activities. He also gave a high appraisal of Hennadii Udovenko's presidency of the 52nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly. He expressed his hope for continuing cooperation between Ukraine and the United Nations.
Ukrainian And Hungarian Foreign Minister Meet In New York
On September 24, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk has met in New York with his Hungarian counterpart Janos Martonyi. In the Hungarian Foreign Minister’s words, support for democratic and stable development in Ukraine is in the common interest of Central Europe and the West. The two men agreed to hold deeper consultations on specific issues of bilateral and international relations during Mr. Martonyi's forthcoming visit to Ukraine this autumn Mr. Tarasyuk noted that Hungary was one of the first countries to recognize Ukraine's independence, and open an embassy in Kiev. Now, we expect Hungary to share with us its experience in Euro-Atlantic integration, Mr. Tarasyuk said.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Meeting With Eu Troika In New York
As the EU sources in Brussels, Belgium, informed DINAU, on September 24, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk, currently leading the Ukrainian delegation to the UN General Assembly's 53d Session in New York, was due to hold a meeting there with the EU troika, that is, his British, Austrian and German counterparts. According to the sources, the parties were expected to raise and ventilate those issues, which the EU-Ukraine October Summit is scheduled to tackle. As Ukrainian diplomats accredited to Brussels believe, Ukraine's expectations with regard to the nation's European Union membership with the observer status at first and EU associate member status may well come true. Ukraine is also expected to initiate consultations with the EU on free trade between the two parties.
Foreign Minister Tarasyuk Urged Germany's More Active Support Of Ukraine In Its Bid For European And Euro-Atlantic Integration
On September 23, Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Borys Tarasyuk met in New York with his German counterpart, Klaus Kinkel, within the framework of the UN General Assembly's 53rd Session, currently underway there. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister has urged Germany's more active support for Ukraine's bid to integrate with European and Euro-Atlantic institutions. The two top diplomats exchanged opinions about the global financial crisis, its regional and national repercussions, and the situation in Russia. They also discussed likely ways to minimize the adverse effects of the global financial crisis on individual nations.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Participates In 3rd International Conference Of New Or Restored Democracies
On September 23, Borys Tarasyuk, Ukraine's Minister for Foreign Affairs, took part in a ministerial-level session of the 3rd International Conference of Emergent or Restored Democracies at the UN Headquarters in New York. The session focused on progress made in implementing the 3rd Conference's recommendations, which were endorsed in Bucharest, Romania, on September 2-4, 1997. Mr. Tarasyuk's remarks at the session dealt with Ukraine's advances toward a socially-oriented market economy, the supremacy of law and establishment of democratic institutions inherent in a civil society. Addressing delegates from over 80 nations, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister also focused on Ukraine's praiseworthy record of evolving the society's interethnic harmony. Ukraine’s experience may well be applicable in the global community's effort to resolve and prevent ethnic strife as jeopardizing international peace, stability and security, he said.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister's Initiative To Give BSECO UN General Assembly Observer Status Gains Member-Nations' Support
On September 23, Minister Borys Tarasyuk's move to give the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization the UN General Assembly's observer status has drawn the BSECO member-nation delegations' wholehearted approval. The BSECO delegations were reported to have held a meeting in New York within the framework of the UN General Assembly's 53rd Session. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister called upon the meeting's participants to step up confidence build-up in the Pontic Region, scale down naval activity in the Black Sea, set up the BSECO's bank and promptly ratify the BSECO Charter.
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