Following NATO-Ukraine Commission Brussels, 12 June 1998

Points for the Secretary General's Point de Presse Very pleased to be here with Deputy Defence Minister Bijan. This first meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission at the level of Defence Ministers marks the first anniversary of the NATO-Ukraine Charter. We reviewed the excellent progress that we have made in just one year in coming closer together and developing our cooperation. We have made major progress: in holding many PfP exercises together; in working on defence reform issues for which we have established a special working group; in implementing our Memorandum of Understanding on Scientific and Environmental Cooperation; and in developing NATO's Information activities in Ukraine through our Information Office in Kiev. We have also decided to establish a NATO PfP Liaison Office in Kiev to help us to better coordinate our PfP activities. We have also over the past year consulted closely on all of the major issues affecting European security. NATO and Ukraine are today very close partners. We fully recognize the importance of an independent prosperous Ukraine for a secure Europe and we will continue to develop our cooperation.