Monday, February 09, 2009

Tymoshenko in Munich

Listen to PM Yulia Tymoshenko's speech: "NATO, Russia, oil and gas", [in Russian] at the 45th Munich Security Conference yesterday, here

"I would dearly want to see Ukraine as a participant of a European policy of security and defence," she said, adding that the collective system of security and defence suggested by Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkosy, would not be an alternative to NATO, but a "widening of possibilities".

"The European policy of security and defence is an intensification of all processes of integration, and a strengthening of security and defence, and this is why it cannot be considered an alternative [to Ukraine's membership in NATO]", but it would provide a place for countries that cannot, or do not want to join NATO.

She called construction of alternative gas pipelines bypassing Ukraine a "crazy idea," and suggested a unified system for determining the price of gas and its transit, claiming that the recent gas crisis revealed the absence of such a policy.

She intends to make an effort to overcome te recent problems and reconcile Ukraine and Russia.

She had a meeting with US VP Joe Biden, beating president Yushchenko and Russian leaders to a face-to-face conversation with the 'top bananas' of the new US administration. Only she, Merkel and Sarkosy had this 'honour'.

Significantly, she sat in the front row with Biden and Eurocommissioner Javier Solana during the conference. Presidents of other former Soviet republics were seated further back in rows two and three. President Yushchenko was fuming in Kyiv, no doubt.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Europe should rethink the workings of NATO and the need to establish a truly European Security alliance that is independent from the USA.

It should also reject the notion of the USA setting up missile bases on European soil without the support and sanction of the European parliament. Clearly the US has overstepped its authority by unilaterally imposing its policy over NATO member states.

The formation of a European Security organisation will hopefully return control and independence back to European nations