Congressional delegation visiting Kyiv says Ukraine's NATO status is separate from Russia's (03/02/97)

Congressional delegation visiting Kyiv says Ukraine's NATO status is separate from Russia's

by Roman Woronowycz
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - U.S. Rep. Gerald Solomon assured Ukrainians on February 21 that Ukraine's status with regard to NATO will be decided in an agreement separate from any that will be signed with Moscow.

"Some are suggesting to us that Russia has a veto over Ukraine. We want to emphasize that this is not true," he explained.

Rep. Solomon was here as part of a five-member U.S. delegation of representatives and senators on a fact-finding mission to determine Ukraine's attitude toward the expansion of NATO.

Mr. Solomon said a Ukraine-NATO agreement would not be influenced by third parties and that it will be announced before the Madrid conference on NATO expansion that is to take place in July. "Ukraine is not being held hostage to a Russian charter," he underscored to reporters.

The delegation also represented the North Atlantic Assembly, the representative body of the 16 member-countries of NATO. It was led by Sen. William Roth, current president of the assembly.

Mr. Roth, who said he had decided that his first official trip on behalf of the assembly should be to Ukraine, stated that the country need not be concerned about NATO expansion eastward. "NATO is a defense alliance, and it threatens no one," he said.

He called Ukraine "critical to the stability of Europe" and stated that NATO "recognizes not only the sovereign state but also the sovereignty of all its territories."

The group held meetings with President Leonid Kuchma, Prime Minister Petro Lazarenko, Verkhovna Rada Chairman Oleksander Moroz and leaders of Ukraine's military forces.

Sen. Roth said economic reforms were a central theme of all the discussions. "Ukraine needs to follow through with major reform, including the elimination of corruption, to ensure job opportunities for the people," he explained.

The leader of the delegation was also quick to point out that Ukraine has not been eliminated from consideration for full membership in the defense alliance. "Ukraine has not sought membership at this stage. It can apply at the appropriate time, when it is ready." He added that first Ukraine must meet the conditions for membership, which include an established market-oriented economy.

The congressmen also dismissed allegations by a group in Russia's Duma, the lower house of Parliament, that Ukraine and the U.S. had struck a deal to base the U.S. 7th Fleet at Sevastopol in return for Ukraine's membership in NATO. "It is an off-the-wall statement," explained Rep. Herb Bateman. "It has no substance whatsoever."

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