THE DECEMBER 3, 2008 MEETING OF THE NATO-UKRAINE

C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000469 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2018 TAGS: PREL NATO PARM KCFE MARR GG UP RS SUBJECT: THE DECEMBER 3, 2008 MEETING OF THE NATO-UKRAINE COMMISSION IN FOREIGN MINISTERS' SESSION. Classified By: Classified by: Ambassador Kurt Volker for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (U) Participants: U.S. Ambassador Volker Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried NSC Senior Director Damon Wilson NATO Secretary General Jaap De Hoop Scheffer NATO COUNTRIES Albania: FM Lulzim Basha Belgium: FM Karel De Gucht Bulgaria: AMB Lubomir Ivanov Canada: AMB Robert McRae Croatia: FM Gordan Jandrokovic Czech Republic: FM Karel Schwarzenberg Denmark: FM Per Stig Moeller Estonia: FM Urmas Paet France: AMB Pascale Adreani Germany: FM Frank-Walter Steinmeier Greece: FM Dora Bakoyannis Hungary: AMB Zoltan Martinusz Iceland: Ambassador Thorsteinn Ingolfsson Italy: AMB Stefano Stefanini Latvia: FM Maris Riekstins Lithuania: Under Secretary Zygimantas Pavilionis Luxembourg: D/FM Jean Asselborn Netherlands: FM Maxime Verhagen Norway: FM Jonas Stoere Poland: FM Radoslaw Sikorski Portugal: FM Luis Amado Romania: FM Lazar Comanescu Slovakia: FM Jan Kubis Slovenia: FM Samuel Zbogar Spain: AMB Carlos Miranda Turkey: FM Ali Babacan United Kingdom: FM David Miliband UKRAINE FM Vlodymyr Ogryzko ¶2. (C) SUMMARY. The NATO Ukraine Commission (NUC) met at the level of Foreign Ministers on December 3 to discuss Ukraine,s goal of NATO membership. The NATO Secretary General expressed his hope that a "beefed up" NUC would advance Ukraine,s drive to membership but identified weaknesses in the Ukrainian government,s approach. Ukrainian FM Ogryzko praised NATO,s decision to enhance the NUC in measured tones, but warned against the Russian press, campaign against Ukrainian membership. Allies praised Ukraine,s role in NATO operations, supported eventual Ukrainian membership, and expressed hope that NATO,s December 2 decision to enhance the NUC would advance Ukraine,s membership aspirations. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (C) NATO Ukraine Commission (NUC) Foreign Ministers met at NATO Headquarters on December 3 to discuss Ukraine,s membership aspirations. ¶4. (C) NATO Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer opened a December 3 meeting of the NUC at the level of Foreign Ministers by explaining that the North Atlantic Council had decided to "beef up" the NUC to support Ukraine,s path to NATO membership. He said the NUC charter will be amended to make it more efficient and effective to supervise Ukaine,s drive to NATO membership and can also assist with the reform process. The Secetary General said the Alliance saw progress in Ukraine but pointed to three major weaknesses in the Ukrainian government,s approach: funding, inter-agency coordination, and public relations. ¶5. (C) Ukrainian Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ogryzko said the Bucharest Summit decision that Ukraine will become a member of NATO gave Ukraine a clear perspective for its Euro-Atlantic integration and that the intensified engagement has produced tangible results. Ackowlegding the heated political discussion in Kyiv on NATO accession, FM Ogryzko countered that NATO accession is enshrined in Ukrainian law and guaranteed by the Ukrainian President. He noted the creation of a special coordinating bureau to manage the reform process associated with membership. Ogryzko emphasized that Ukraine,s NATO aspirations are not directly against Russia, which Ukrainian law labels as a strategic partner. On the way forward, he acknowledged a great amount of homework for ultimate membership, but expressed Ukraine,s determination to complete it. ¶6. (C) Allies voiced support for Ukraine,s ultimate NATO aspirations and expressed hope that the enhanced NUC would provide a strong tool to advance Ukraine,s NATO aspirations and practical cooperation with NATO. Ukraine received universal praise for its steadfast participation in four NATO missions and the NATO Response Force; however, Allies encouraged Ukraine to do more in the reform process. Danish FM Moeller asserted that although Ukraine was not ready for membership, it would be welcome in NATO as soon as possible and warned against interference from third parties. Ambassador Volker expressed strong support for Ukraine,s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and NATO aspirations and predicted that the enhanced NUC would help Ukraine with the reform process. ¶7. (C) In his second intervention, Ukrainian FM Ogryzko praised NATO,s decision to augment the NUC as a good step forward. Noting a change in the Ukrainian press' attitude on enlargement, Ogryzko warned against the large-scale campaign in the Russian press to derail Ukrainian membership aspirations. VOLKER