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| Updated: 15-May-2002 | NATO Speeches |
Reykjavik,
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Statementby
NATO Secretary General, Lord Robertson,
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Welcome to the joint press point with Minister Anatoliy Zlenko, following the NATO-Ukraine Commission ministerial meeting. Grateful to Minister Zlenko to be with me at the end of this marathon series of meetings that we have just concluded over the course of the last two days.
A number of very positive conclusions were reached today. Minister Zlenko reconfirmed well-known and welcome orientation of Ukraine's policy of Euro-Atlantic integration.
Forward-looking conclusions from the mutual recognition of the strategic importance of the Alliance's relationship with Ukraine. The world is moving forward and NUC has to move with it. Therefore the ministers agreed to aim for a reinforced relationship, which should reflect a qualitatively new level of relations, seeking to deepen and broaden them. This task will be implemented by the NUC Ambassadors over the course of the coming months.
The fruits of this labour, as well as many others in the NUC framework, will be presented to the Heads of State and Government of NATO and Ukraine in Prague in November 2002.
Appreciate Ukraine's support for NATO's open door policy and acknowledge importance of qualitatively new level of NATO-Russia relations (new NRC).
Today's session allowed the participants to reaffirm their joint commitment to strengthen their respective contributions to combating terrorism, promoting stability in the Balkans, etc. Allies expressed appreciation for the very concrete input from Ukraine, be it through providing military transport aviation for deployment of Allied troops in Afghanistan or through maintaining strong participation level in KFOR as a component of the Polish-Ukrainian Battalion.
Constantly growing - in terms of size and depth - programme of practical cooperation. Without doubt the most striking progress has been achieved in the area of defence reform. We are hoping for further advances on this track.
Lastly, I would like to underline upcoming 5th anniversary of the NATO-Ukraine Charter. Will be marked by a special event - meeting of the NUC in ambassadorial session in Kyiv. So, you may see us together again very soon in Ukraine.
