The Foreign Minister of Ukraine Borys Tarasyuk considers the President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko and the Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych have common strategic aims as to accession to NATO, but different views on timetable.
The Foreign Minister hopes that round table, planned on February 14 will lead to closing in President’s and the Government’s positions as to membership in NATO.
Tarasyuk reminded that Ukraine and NATO had intensified dialogue in April 2005. Unfortunately temp was slowed due to some prolonged home policy discussions. Tarasyuk noted that he is not a supporter of execution of referendum on accession to NATO. “Personally I am not a supporter r of referendum, but if political forces consider it necessary, one should prepare,” ha said.
Tarasyuk stressed that it is necessary to prepare to the referendum not “to make provocation” but to help citizens of Ukraine to know about NATO and make clear about possibilities of Ukraine’s membership in NATO. According to Tarasyuk, informational campaign should be carried out because half of society has not enough information about NATO.
.According to Tarasyuk, basic regulations of NATO do not oblige a State to execute referendum. There were three cases of execution of such referendums that had recommendation character: Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia.
The Foreign Minister considers that during presidential campaign in 2004 and parliamentary campaign in 2006 talks about NATO were used for political speculations.
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