21 Apr 2005

NATO launches ‘Intensified Dialogue’ with Ukraine Events Programme of Informal Meeting of Foreign Ministers (IFM 2005) Vilnius, Lithuania 20-21 April 2005 Official texts 08/07/97 - NATO Madrid Declaration on Euro-Atlantic Security and Cooperation issued by the Heads of State and Government at the Madrid Summit Background NATO-Ukraine relations At a meeting in Vilnius on 21 April, NATO invited Ukraine to begin an ‘Intensified Dialogue’on Ukraine’s aspirations to membership and relevant reforms, without prejudice to any eventual Alliance decision. The meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission at the level of Foreign Ministers, also agreed on a series of concrete and immediate measures to enhance cooperation in support of Ukraine's reform priorities. Support for reforms These include measures to strengthen democratic institutions, reinforce political dialogue, and reinvigorate co-operation in defence and security sector reform. Ministers also agreed to enhance public diplomacy efforts in order to improve understanding of NATO in Ukraine and to enhance Alliance support in addressing the socio-economic impact of defence reform. The Intensified Dialogue will build on these efforts and the current mechanisms for cooperation. “The pace at which any partner comes closer to NATO is based on performance in respecting NATO standards and values, ” NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told reporters, “NATO and its member states stand ready to do what we can to help Ukraine achieve them.” The formula of ‘Intensified Dialogue’ has its roots in the 1997 Madrid Summit, at which NATO Heads of State and Government decided “to continue the Alliance’s intensified dialogues with those nations that aspire to NATO membership or that otherwise with to pursue a dialogue with NATO on membership questions.” These dialogues “cover the full range of political, military, financial and security issues relating to possible NATO membership, without prejudice to any eventual Alliance decision.”