Alliance reiterates support for Ukraine

News / 28 April 2006 | 17:58

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.

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Chile is interested in Ukrainian business

News / 28 April 2006 | 17:25

Chile National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce stated its intention to cooperate with Ukrainian businessmen. Chile is interested in Ukrainian agriculture, energy, insurance, agrarian products processing. These are preferable and most beneficial aspects of cooperation, Chile Chamber of Commerce Vice-President Tireman told.

The representatives of two countries plan to hold business-forums and to sign agreements on cooperation between the Chambers of Commerce.

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President visits Ukrainian school in Riga

News / 28 April 2006 | 16:57

Accompanied by Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga and her husband, Imants, Victor Yushchenko has visited a Ukrainian secondary school in Riga, President’s press office reported.

The Head of State thanked the Latvian government for meeting the needs of Ukrainians residing in the republic. He assured his counterpart that our government was also ready to help and support Latvians in Ukraine.

“I am convinced that in our diverse world it is vital to preserve native language, literature and history in order to preserve nationalities,” he opined.

The Head of State said a special council to work with Ukrainians living abroad had been established in Ukraine and held its first meeting yesterday. He said its members had decided to give “passports of foreign Ukrainians” to hundreds of Ukrainians living abroad, including 144 Ukrainians in Latvia.

Mr. Yushchenko added that the government had also founded a special department within Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry to communicate and support Ukrainians abroad.

“We aim to help Ukrainian diasporas  profoundly integrate with Ukraine and adopt its way of life,” he said.

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Ukraine is under the threat of water pollution

News / 28 April 2006 | 16:40

The experts warn over a high hazard that the pathogenic organisms may penetrate into the drinking water. It was revealed by Deputy Health Minister Serhiy Berezhnov at today’s press conference.

The water treating facilities are not adapted to the emergency situation, floods, for example, Berezhnov exampled.

“We will consolidate control over the quality of drinking water. The monitoring is underway. We will instantly counter such accidents. For now, we have no problem with the drinking water,” stressed Berezhnov adding that the Health Minister does not rule it out.

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Yushchenko objects to Russian as a regional language

News / 28 April 2006 | 16:20

President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko charged Justice Ministry and General Office of Public Prosecutor to examine whether the decision of a number of local councils to give a status of the regional language to Russian meets the Ukraine’s legislation.

“The question is whether these decisions meet Ukrainian national legislation and European charter on regional languages. And I charged Justice Ministry and General Office of Public Prosecutor to examine this question,” said Yushchenko in an interview to journalists in Riga, Interfax-Ukraine reported.

“I think I will get the reports of these departments soon, and we will act in accordance with national and international laws,” pointed out the President.

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Secretariat: Parliament finished its work ingloriously

News / 28 April 2006 | 15:23

President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko thanked deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of the fourth convocation for their work, but was dissatisfied with that the parliamentarians had never sworn in judges of Constitutional Court of Ukraine, as declared deputy Chief-of-Staff Anatoly Matvienko.

“The Verkhovna Rada on initiative of a number of blocs, first of all BYuT, PR, socialists and KPU, again decided to ignore the Law and Constitution and not to swear in judges of Constitutional Court. President expresses his deep disappointment and anxiety for such precedent, when any institution has a right not to follow its constitutional duties. We are on the downward path. It must be stopped. This is President’s position of principle,” said Matvienko.

According to him, politicians must account for their deeds, but not to just give promises. “Unfortunately, the VR under the direction of Volodymyr Lytvyn finished its work ingloriously,” noted Matvienko.

According to the deputy Chief-of-Staff, the President hopes that the Parliament of the fifth convocation will swear in judges in accordance with Ukrainian legislation.

“The President believes that new VR will determine the priority – to live in accordance with Constitution – and will solve the problem of Constitutional Court,” noted Matvienko.

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President plans to dismiss governors

News / 28 April 2006 | 15:10

In Riga, Victor Yushchenko said in a couple of days he would dismiss governors that failed to work efficiently, President’s press office reported.  

“It will not take much time to dismiss those who were not successful. I will decide which officials to sack in the next four days,” he said.

The President added that the governors of Odessa, Kirovograd and Poltava had resigned to work in the Verkhovna Rada. He also promised to “hold some political consultations” to appoint new governors.

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Ukrainian movie-distributors to have legal proceedings with government

News / 28 April 2006 | 14:33

Ukrainian movie-distributors brought an action against the government of Ukraine, demanding to cancel the resolution, which obliges them to dub every fifth copy of a foreign movie in Ukrainian beginning from September 1, 2006.

According to President of Ukrainian association of cinematograph development assistance Mikhailo Sokolov, movie-distributors, who were obliged to dub films at their own expense, asked the government to take over the financing. After the government had ignored the request, the association decided to appeal to court.

“We have objections to that the state policy is carried out at our expense,” explained Sokolov.

According to him, movie-distributors will argue in the court that imposing the Ukrainian language on film-goers the government violates Constitution of Ukraine.

Total movie takings made 35 mln USD last year. Cinemas’ owners fear that this figure may decrease after the introduction of obligatory Ukrainian dub, as about 60% of total takings from every movie come from Russian speaking cities – Dnipropetrovs’k, Kharkiv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhya and Donetsk.

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OSCE in Ukraine trains consular officials to assist fight against human trafficking

News / 28 April 2006 | 14:02

According to information contained in OSCE press release, more than 30 representatives from foreign consulates in Ukraine gathered today in Kyiv for an anti-trafficking course, co-organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.

The training course focuses on current prevention, prosecution and protection initiatives in the country. It will also include discussions on the root causes and consequences of trafficking, ways in which consular officials can identify and assist potential victims, and an overview of the work of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s Centre on the Protection of Ukrainian Citizens Abroad.

“Human trafficking constitutes a pervasive and persistent criminal violation of the most fundamental of human rights: the right to life, liberty and security of the person,” said Abina M. Dann, the Canadian Ambassador to Ukraine. “Like all countries, organizations and individuals for whom human rights are sacred, we strongly denounce and criminalize human trafficking. We want to provide better protection to the vulnerable and we are firmly resolved to bring perpetrators to justice.”

This is the fourth in a series of training courses hosted by the Canadian Embassy in Kyiv for consular and visa staff of foreign diplomatic missions, and is part of a comprehensive national anti-trafficking programme being implemented by the Project Co-ordinator’s office. The event was organized in co-operation with the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Canadian Embassy, and the non-governmental organization, International Women’s Rights Centre La Strada-Ukraine.

The event will close with a presentation of the Project Co-ordinator’s new anti-trafficking public service announcements featuring the Ukrainian singer Ruslana, the platinum award winner of the 2004 Eurovision song contest.
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The NATO-Ukraine Commission meeting in Sofia

News / 28 April 2006 | 13:38

In preparation for the November Summit in Riga, NATO Foreign Ministers, meeting informally in Sofia, Bulgaria, 27-28 April, began discussions on the next round of NATO enlargement.

At a press conference on the first day of the meeting, the NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said that this was the beginning of discussions and that no decision on enlargement would be made at the Riga Summit.

But Riga will send a signal on enlargement, the Secretary General told reporters.

The nature of this signal will depend on the performance of the aspirant countries, Mr. De Hoop Scheffer stressed.

 

“When they are ready, NATO has to be ready,” the Secretary General told reporters.

At present, three countries – Albania, Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia – are part of NATO’s Membership Action Plan, a programme of advice and support for countries wishing to join the Alliance.

Two other countries – Ukraine and Georgia – have stated their ambition to join the Alliance, but are not part of the Membership Action Plan, NATO press office reported.

 

NATO expects that new Cabinet of Ukraine will continue Euro and Atlantic integration course taken by the country, Director of NATO Information and Documentation Centre in Ukraine Michael Dureau told at informal meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission.

 

Ukraine and NATO as the strategic partners extend the field of the cooperation, Mr. Dureau stressed. He also confirmed NATO support for reforms conducted by Ukrainian government. Ukrainian citizens should know prospects of NATO.

“I would like to open this meeting by welcoming Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk to this informal meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission, a bit more than one year after we launched our Intensified Dialogue on Ukraine’s membership aspirations and related reforms in Vilnius. Welcome, Borys.

Over the past twelve months, we have held numerous Intensified Dialogue meetings and continued our strong cooperation. I believe that our increased consultations have helped to deepen Ukraine’s understanding of NATO, and kept the Allies abreast of Ukraine’s reform efforts.

Our commitment to the Intensified Dialogue underscores that NATO’s door remains open, and that Ukraine’s aspirations are, ultimately, achievable.

It is also an indication of the level of commitment of the nations represented around this table to help Ukraine succeed in this effort. But ultimately, the primary responsibility for success rests with the Ukrainian people and their elected leaders,” said Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in his opening remark at the meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission in Sofia.

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