MEETING OF THE NATO-UKRAINE COMMISSION
AT AMBASSADORIAL
LEVEL
NATO HQ,
BRUSSELS
14
SEPTEMBER AT 10H00
OPENING
REMARKS BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the NATO-Ukraine
Commission.
Prime Minister Yanukovych, I would like to extend a warm
welcome to you and your delegation to NATO Headquarters this morning.
Let me begin by underscoring the importance of the NATO-Ukraine
Distinctive Partnership, for the states represented around this table, for the
Euro-Atlantic community and beyond.
In helping the Alliance carry out its mission in Afghanistan, in working
with us in the international struggle against terrorism, in contributing forces
to NATO-led peace support operations in the Balkans and the NATO Training
Mission in Iraq, Ukraine has demonstrated time and again her capacity to serve
as a leading exporter of security. Allies recognise and appreciate this.
But Ukraine has done more than cooperate with
the North Atlantic Alliance to promote external security. It has used the tools
of the Distinctive Partnership to benefit from Allies’ experience and expertise,
and to advance the aspirations of the Ukrainian people to build a modern,
democratic state, supported by capable, accountable defence and security
institutions.
In the framework of the NATO-Ukraine Action
Plan and, since April of last year, the Intensified Dialogue on Ukraine’s
membership aspirations and relevant reforms, NATO and Ukraine have agreed to
joint principles and objectives in the political, economic, military, security
and defence spheres. We have agreed to take concrete steps toward the
achievement of these objectives.
Six months ago, Ukraine marked an important milestone toward meeting
these ambitious objectives, electing a new parliament in free and fair elections
that demonstrated a firm commitment to the values that underpin both the North
Atlantic Alliance and the NATO-Ukraine Distinctive Partnership. As the Head of
Government chosen by that parliament, we look forward to learning more about
your plans for taking forward Ukraine's reform efforts and further developing
NATO-Ukraine cooperation.
Let me assure you, Mr Prime Minister, that the Alliance stands ready to
support you where we can.
With this, ladies and gentlemen, I give the floor to Prime Minister
Yanukovych.