Ukraine may be involved in stabilization of post-war Iraq; role to be determined (05/11/03)

Ukraine may be involved in stabilization of post-war Iraq; role to be determined

by Yaro Bihun
Special to The Ukrainian Weekly

WASHINGTON - Ukraine's participation in post-war Iraq has yet to be decided. Yevhen Marchuk, secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, says it will depend on how NATO responds to the U.S. proposal, and, according to that alliance's secretary-general, George Robertson, NATO has not yet made its decision.

Mr. Marchuk and Lord Robertson were asked about their future roles in Iraq during a news conference here May 5, after a daylong conference of the NATO-Ukraine Joint Working Group on Defense Reform. The closed-door meeting of Ukrainian and NATO defense ministers and officials focused on Ukraine's progress in achieving greater cooperation and integration into NATO.

Responding to a question about Ukraine's role in Iraq, Mr. Marchuk said that, as a cooperating partner with NATO, "We will make our decision after NATO makes its position known."

Lord Robertson noted that the issue of NATO's role in Iraq was raised during a ministerial meeting in Brussels in April. He said that they will surely discuss the possibility "in due course, when the situation does become clearer." As of now, however, "There is no NATO position in relation to operations in Iraq," he added.

Later, Mr. Marchuk said in an interview with Radio Liberty that deciding Ukraine's participation in Iraq will not be an easy matter, recalling how it was with the decision on sending the Ukrainian NBC (anti-nuclear, -biological, -chemical) detachment to the Persian Gulf.

"The decision in this case will be no less complex, and most probably more complex," he said. And that is why Ukraine was invited as an "observer" to the coalition's Iraq stabilization planning talks in London, he explained.

"We were not presented with any concrete proposals," he said, "we were there simply to observe how the decisions were being made and how the stabilization of Iraq would proceed. Would there be a role for Ukraine in this or not - that would be decided later."

"There is much that would be of interest to Ukraine," Mr. Marchuk told Radio Liberty, "but this will require serious study and appropriate procedures."

Lord Robertson said Ukraine remains "high on the list of NATO's strategic priorities" as it continues to develop its relationship with NATO.

"We had some tough moments between Ukraine and NATO, but I believe it's changing significantly," he said.

"I think the worst of the problems are certainly over," he added. "But some issues still remain and they will still have to be resolved."

Mr. Marchuk indicated that these problem issues were the subject of frank discussions at the conference.

"The talks between friends sometimes do not sound like the sweetest of music," he said, "but they were most helpful."

While 2005 has been mentioned as a target date for Ukraine's entry into NATO, Lord Robertson pointed out that Ukraine has not yet officially applied for membership and that it was time for the Ukrainian leadership to act.

Mr. Marchuk explained that before officially applying, Ukraine must first accomplish a series of NATO-mandated requirements and procedures - which it has been doing - as well as build a domestic consensus and get the support of the majority of the Ukrainian people.

"This will be a long process," he said.

The next NATO-Ukraine meeting is scheduled for 2004 in Warsaw. That same year, seven more East European countries will be accepted into NATO: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Among the Ukrainian participants in the NATO-Ukraine conference, which was held at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, were Defense Minister Volodymyr Shkidchenko and the vice-chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Oleksander Zinchenko.

| Home Page |