Madrid 9 July 1997

Secretary General's Remarks at the Signing Ceremony of the NATO-Ukraine Charter (24Kb) Messieurs les Prsidents, Madame et Messieurs les Ministres, Messieurs les Ambassadeurs, Mesdames et Messieurs, C'est aujourd'hui une journe qui comptera dans les relations entre l'OTAN et l'Ukraine. C'est aujourd'hui que la Charte entre l'OTAN et l'Ukraine voit le jour. C'est aujourd'hui que commence une re nouvelle dans les relations entre l'OTAN et l'Ukraine. Et la signature de cette Charte aujourd'hui, est le symbole visible d'une Europe nouvelle. Pas l'Europe du pass. Pas l'Europe des divisions. Pas l'Europe de la confrontation Est-Ouest. Mais, bien au contraire, l'Europe du futur. Une Europe unie. Une Europe o l'Est et l'Ouest sont des partenaires. L'Alliance travaille pour la paix. Une paix durable repose sur l'amiti. Cette amiti qui nat de la multiplication des contacts, tous les niveaux, entre les Allis, l'Ukraine et, plus encore, tous nos Partenaires. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, In May, the Alliance opened a NATO Documentation and Information Centre in Kyiv, the first of its kind in any Partner country. Its purpose is a simple, but essential, one: to make information available on the Alliance to the Ukrainian people. It is open to anyone to walk in, ask questions and get information. For many decades, such simple freedoms were not available. (24Kb) There is a huge interest in the Alliance. The more we respond to that interest, the more we discover that misconceptions and misunderstandings are tumbling down. There is instead a growing understanding of our common interest and common heritage. We too have to learn about our partners with an open mind. Our mutual openness strengthens our ability and our commitment to work together. The Alliance and Ukraine are now ready to take the process a significant step forward. Together our aim is to make a real, substantive contribution to cooperative security in the Euro-Atlantic area. The NATO-Ukraine Charter now needs to be implemented speedily and fully. The partnership will grow by making the greatest possible use of the new mechanisms it provides. Finally: a warm "thank you" to all those who made today's signature possible. The result of your many hours of hard work was well worth the effort. I would now ask that the "Charter on a Distinctive Partnership between NATO and Ukraine" be presented to us for signature.