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<TITLE>Ukrainian Foreign Minister Boris Tarasyuk...Ukraine's View on
European Security Issues</TITLE>
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<CENTER><FONT SIZE="+2"></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+4">Ukraine's
View on European Security Issues</FONT></FONT></CENTER>
<CENTER><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+3">Ukrainian First Vice
Minister of Foreign Affairs Boris Tarasyuk</FONT></FONT></CENTER>
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER><B><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+1">INTRODUCTION</FONT></FONT></B></CENTER>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">The year 1995 has seen
remarkable progress in the development of fruitful cooperation between the
Alliance and its Partners--the new European democracies. The Partnership
for Peace (PFP) program is becoming one of the most effective and
successful cooperative security programs in modern history. As a result of
the program's implementation, the North Atlantic Cooperation Council
(NACC) framework has been widened, one aspect only of PFP's great
potential. In addition, the Russian Federation's decision to approve an
Individual Partnership Program has widened and deepened its dialogue with
NATO, a situation that is most welcome.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER><B><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+1">UKRAINE'S RELATIONSHIP
TO NATO</FONT></FONT></B></CENTER>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Ukraine is making every effort
to strengthen stability and security in Europe and to build a
comprehensive and inclusive all-European security system. We are one of
the most active NACC participants; we strongly supported the launching of
the PFP program and were among the first to sign its Framework Document.
We wish to be not only a recipient of cooperative security efforts but
also a contributor to them. Mr. Leonid Kuchma, President of Ukraine, made
our commitment very clear during his substantive and fruitful talks with
Secretary General Claes at the NATO Headquarters meeting in early June.</FONT></FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">The most important issue raised
at the talks was the present and future of the Ukraine-NATO relationship.
We consider this relationship to be of special significance to the future
of European stability, to security in general, and to the current
discussion on the enlargement of the Alliance. Since many believe that, in
order to secure its stability, Europe should remain undivided, Ukraine's
relationship with NATO and also the NATO/Russia dialogue have a unique
part in the general European security debate.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER><B><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+1">NATO ENLARGEMENT</FONT></FONT></B></CENTER>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">The issue of NATO's possible
enlargement is a crucial one from Ukraine's perspective. Ukraine has never
in principle renounced the idea of enlargement as a future option. In our
opinion, the decision on enlargement must be based on a "no veto"
principle, which must be the choice of the Alliance and the applicant
countries.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">A "no veto" formula,
however, should not be exercised without taking into account the security
concerns of those parties whose stability may be affected. For Ukraine,
that means practical implementation of principles of inclusiveness and of
comprehensiveness of security in an undivided Europe. A situation under
which dividing lines are changed in a new geopolitical framework may be
the most undesirable development for European cohesiveness, stability, and
security.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Today the overall security
situation in Europe includes the coexistence of NATO and the Tashkent
Collective Security Treaty.<SUP> </SUP>Conditions for this coexistence
are not clear at this time. Ukraine, while not a part of the Tashkent
arrangement, is promoting bilateral ties with CIS member-states. The fact
that Ukraine may find itself in the position of "buffer state"
between an expanded Alliance and the Tashkent arrangements is a point of
special concern.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">The clear-cut interest of
Ukraine's neighbors to the West to acquire NATO membership should make the
Alliance reconsider thoroughly its role in modern Europe. Ukraine believes
that this role should evolve from a collective-defense type of system to a
collective-security type of institution, the nucleus of a future
all-European security system. Our country wishes to participate fully in
such a future system.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">The decision on enlarging NATO
should not be a hasty one. Ukraine hopes that in the process of defining
new-member criteria, the Alliance will take into account the interests of
a future united Europe and, in so doing, upgrade confidence on the grounds
of strict respect for territorial integrity, existing borders, and
minority rights. For a period of time, "who" and "when"
issues should not be at the forefront for two reasons: (1) to avoid
political instability in post-communist states and to encourage their
rapid transition to open, democratic societies, and also (2) to secure
more time for the evolution of NATO's new role. During this interim
period, attention should be focused on the effective implementation of the
PFP program, the full potential of which has not yet been exploited.</FONT></FONT>
</P>
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER><B><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+1">UKRAINE-NATO AND
RUSSIA-NATO RELATIONSHIPS</FONT></FONT></B></CENTER>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">The relationship between Ukraine
and NATO and between Russia and NATO should not be overlooked when
discussing NATO's future in a new European security environment. While
these relationships may seem to have similarities, they do vary in some
important aspects, particularly in Ukraine's "non-great-power"
posture. Ukraine's stance is that it is nonproductive to work toward
ensuring a new security architecture in Europe without Russia.</FONT></FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">With its specific geographical,
military, and political position within Europe, Ukraine must widen the
scope of its relations with the Alliance, and vice versa. A formal
relationship between NATO and Ukraine would definitely play an important
role in the Alliance's evolutionary development, since our nation of 52
million has broad security interests and one of the biggest military
potentials on the continent. The time has come to work on a new, wider
relationship between Ukraine and NATO, which will require a special scope
of cooperation beyond the framework of PFP and NACC. Developing
NATO-Ukraine ties should not be confused with deepening the Russia-NATO
dialogue.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER><B><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+1">UKRAINE AND THE NEW
EUROPEAN SECURITY ARCHITECTURE</FONT></FONT></B></CENTER>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">As a natural part of Central and
Eastern Europe and also one of the successor states to the former Soviet
Union, Ukraine is paying great attention to creating a stable, friendly
external environment for implementing the crucial internal task of
transforming into an open, democratic society with a market-oriented
economy. Developing both closer and mutually beneficial ties with Russia
and our immediate neighbors in Central and Eastern Europe, in the Baltic
and Black Sea regions, as well as gradually and coherently expanding
relations with the West, are therefore high Ukrainian priorities. An
enhanced Ukrainian relationship with the West should not be understood as
an alternative to friendly cooperation with all its neighbors.</FONT></FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Ukraine is very much interested
in a relationship with NATO that would include both regular and formalized
political and military ties, security consultations on a systematic basis,
and direct participation in NATO organizations that deal with specific
activities of relevant interest to Ukraine. Such a relationship would
embrace the "16 + 1" principle, keep future options open, and
not infringe on any country's security interests. This new Ukraine-NATO
dialogue and relationship should be an inseparable part of the new,
developing European security architecture.</FONT></FONT> </P>
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