NATO MAP Will Improve Ukraine

KIEV, Ukraine -- The joint letter written to NATO by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, Parliamentary Speaker Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko marked a significant stage in the ongoing process of Ukraine’s integration into Euro-Atlantic structures.


A positive response to Ukraine joining the Membership Action Plan (MAP) will not only enhance Ukraine’s prestige on the world arena and raise the fighting efficiency of its armed forces, but also irreversibly inject systemic reforms in the country directed at building an effective democratic state, further judicial and economic reforms, create a competitive economy, bolster the rule of law, ensure human rights protection and form an open society.

Foremost, the MAP is not for NATO, it is for Ukraine. Hence it contains a list of reforms which our citizens need.

In Ukraine’s desired course of development, politicians and statesmen alike follow the example of Western democracies and embrace European values and achievements.

When we speak of a developed economy, we name Germany and Holland as models; when discussing higher education, we look to Great Britain and the US. Analyzing the tourist industry, we use Spain and Italy as standards. But when these countries formed a security alliance, they immediately were branded an “aggressive enemy bloc” by certain reactionaries.

Obviously this is not the case since NATO membership, and cooperation with it, allows a country to mold itself in its own image and, most importantly, to develop internally.

Thus not only does the MAP cover defense and military issues, but in a broader spectrum it embraces political and economic issues, the effective allocation of state budget resources, as well as social and legal issues, environmental protection, and the issue of security in the broadest sense.

The issue of security does not exclusively mean the absence of military action. It also extends to personal security: housing, job security, ecology, and finally, an overall secure living environment.

In addition, cooperation with NATO brings Ukraine and the Ukrainian state closer to European poli-economic structures – first and foremost the EU.

At first glance, NATO and the EU are two different organizations and membership to one does not necessitate joining the other. This is our viewpoint. The countries who ascended into the EU in the most recent expansion round were already members of NATO. The reason being, in the European political consciousness, the EU and NATO are pillars on which the entire European design rests. And if the letter that the president, premier, and speaker wrote expresses that the state sees itself as part of the Euro-Atlantic security space, then it is clear Ukrainians also wish to see and realize it as part of the European political and economic expanse.

At the same time, it is necessary to implement a systemic and consistent plan in Ukraine to meet the standards and benchmarks we are setting before us. In fact, irrespective of whether we have a MAP, we should change as a country for the better. This involves strengthening democratic institutions, and the welfare and security of the Ukrainian nation. This is the main goal. And the presence of corresponding agreements, letters, and documents do not substitute our steadfast work and activity. Although a MAP in Ukraine will certainly shake up and discipline government officials, and Yushchenko understands this.

Concerning Ukraine’s international position, it is first worth mentioning that Ukraine participates in practically every international peacekeeping mission under the auspices of the UN, NATO, and OSCE. At times, these are whole sub-units and technical groups. At other times, individual officers serve at international posts.

Today, close to 1,000 Ukrainian military personnel are serving in international peacekeeping missions. Ukraine’s peacekeepers once numbered 3,000 and Ukraine is a top 10 world peacekeeping contributor. But is there a proportionately equal political and economic return for this important international contribution for Ukraine?

Aside from simply participating in activities, the opportunity to take part in forming solutions, decision-making and influencing them to secure the ideal international and economic effect for the state is optimal. The right to influence decision-making is common in full-fledged member organizations, which applies to the Alliance itself. Ukraine’s NATO membership gives it the possibility to influence decisions allowing it to defend its views and national interests.

Evidently, the countries that don’t want these opportunities to exist are those that have a “casual” attitude towards Ukraine’s potential NATO membership.

Commentary emanating from the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department of Information and Print on Ukraine’s rapprochement to NATO clearly is unfavorable. The Russian foreign ministry said Ukraine has the right to determine NATO membership, but simultaneously declared that membership could complicate relations between the two countries. Incidentally on Jan. 25, 2008, 11 NATO countries and Russia will conduct joint training exercises in Germany on the use of an anti-rocket defense system. Indeed, this is happening under the aegis of the Russia-NATO Council’s (RNC) special working group on issues of anti-rocket defense systems.

Moreover, Ukraine can only dream of reaching the same level of cooperation with NATO as Russia has. It seems they are exclusive friends without us, and this suits Moscow. Let’s be friends together with our participation.

It is quite clear to me that Russia has the desire to have all of Kyiv’s relations with Brussels resolved in Moscow. Yet we live in the XXI century, the world is open and more just today. European countries and structures respect Ukraine’s right to its own position, own policy, own national interests … and for the right to exist.

Equally important is for the Ukrainian government to work for the Ukrainian people, not for anyone else’s. It should understand the responsibility it has before Ukrainian citizens, their welfare, and the formation of national security for the state.

Source: Kyiv Post