Meeting in Sofia for informal consultations, NATO Foreign Ministers
reiterated their support for Ukraine ’s reform efforts and their readiness to
provide assistance.
At the informal meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission, Foreign Minister
Borys Tarasyuk briefed Ministers on the recent political developments in Ukraine
.
NATO Ministers and Mr. Tarasyuk also took stock of the intensified dialogue
on Ukraine ’s membership aspirations and related reforms, which was launched
just over a year ago.
Ministers congratulated Ukraine in particular on the conduct of the
parliamentary elections, which were free and fair and which NATO Secretary
General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer called a “milestone”.
They also welcomed the adoption of Ukraine ’s target plan for 2006, which
outlines the specific reform activities that Ukraine has committed to undertake
this year.
Speaking to reporters at a joint press conference with the Minister, Mr. De
Hoop Scheffer said that security sector reform was a key issue and NATO was
looking forward to upcoming high-level consultations with Ukraine on this
issue.
In terms of Ukraine ’s membership ambitions, the Secretary General stressed
that this is a “performance-based process”, which depended on the
progress of reforms in Ukraine.
