Ukraine stands for decision-making on NATO MAP in 2008 - President Yushchenko

Ukraine proceeds from the fact that decision on Ukraine's joining NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) should be made in 2008, President Viktor Yushchenko told a joint news conference in Kyiv with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.

Issues on Ukraine's joining MAP and its direct NATO accession should be clearly delimited, Yushchenko stressed. He noted that MAP accession enables Ukraine to move from the format of an intensified dialogue to direct cooperation with the Alliance. "Thus, we fully stands for the decision on the issue to be made this year," the President said.

However, Ukraine has to do a lot in frames of the Ukraine-NATO Action Plan to take the decision, V. Yushchenko emphasized adding that the plan is being successfully implemented and 90% meets the MAP program.

As referred to the outcome of the talks with a delegation of the North Atlantic Council and NATO Secretary General, Yushchenko said the meeting is extremely important for strengthening the Ukraine-Alliance relations being dynamically developed on the basis of the "fundamental understanding regarding Ukraine's future membership in NATO" reached at the Bucharest summit.

UKRINFORM