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