NATO-UKRAINE COUNCIL MARKS TENTH ANNIVERSARY JULY

UNCLAS USNATO 000410 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL NATO UP SUBJECT: NATO-UKRAINE COUNCIL MARKS TENTH ANNIVERSARY JULY 9 REF: A. SYG'S OPENING REMARKS (E-MAILED TO EUR/RPM) ¶B. NUC AMBASSADORS' JOINT STATEMENT (E-MAILED TO EUR/RPM) ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On July 9, the 27 members of the NATO-Ukraine Commission (NUC) met in Ambassadorial session at NATO headquarters to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Charter on a Distinctive Partnership which established the NUC. Allies commended Ukraine's contributions to all NATO's operations and said it is Ukraine's choice whether and when to take its relationship with NATO to the next level. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Opening the NUC Ambassadors meeting, NATO SYG de Hoop Scheffer noted that Ukraine is the only Partner nation that contributes to every one of the Alliance's ongoing operations, re-affirmed NATO's open door, and stressed that the future of NATO-Ukraine relations is "in the hands of Ukraine's people and their elected leaders" (REF A). Ukrainian Ambassador Kostiantyn Morozov frankly addressed the struggle to reach an intenral consensus on Ukraine's future direction. Still, while political processes wrestled with that fundamental question, he stated that ten years of cooperation with NATO had been "of geopolitical significance" and had introduced "qualitatively new mechanisms" to Ukraine's security and defense structures. Morozov acknowledged the U.S.-led Trust Fund for the elimination of excess small arms and light weapons, munitions, and MANPADS in Ukraine. He looked forward to deepening integration with NATO, "up to the level of membership," stressing that "no political forces have rejected membership as a strategic goal." ¶3. (SBU) Reflecting the importance of a decade of cooperation, all 26 Allies, as well as the SYG, Morozov, and the Chairman of the Military Committee, briefly took the floor. Their most common themes were: appreciation for Ukraine's troop contributions; respect for its handling tough questions through democratic political processes; commitments to continue helping with its defense and security sector reforms; and assurances that NATO would "go as far as Ukraine is willing to go" toward membership (in the words of Contact Point Embassy Slovakia's Ambassador). The NUC Ambassadors issued a Joint Statement (REF B). ¶4. (SBU) Ambassador Nuland noted that in ten years NATO had gotten a lot from its cooperation with Ukraine, and vice-versa. Ukraine's contributions to peacekeeping were not limited to NATO-led operations, but included UN missions in Liberia and Lebanon, and the coalition in Iraq. She noted that the one millionth surplus weapon to be destroyed with U.S. funding would be part of the NATO Trust Fund for eliminating small arms and light weapons in Ukraine. She urged free and fair elections this fall, stronger democratic institutions, and an active public information campaign to provide the people "an accurate picture of NATO" to shape their decision. "Only you can decide Ukraine's future with NATO; our door is open," she concluded. NULAND