Merkel, Yushchenko Didn’t Ally
German Chancellor Angela Merkel paid a one-day visit to Ukraine yesterday, July 21, 2008. In time of the meeting with President Viktor Yushchenko, Merkel ended the main intrigue of the year – the possibility of granting MAP to Ukraine during December sitting of NATO’s foreign ministers.
Ukraine’s integration into NATO and the EU would be the highlight of Merkel’s talks with Yushchenko, both German and Ukrainian media reported before chancellor’s arrival in Kiev. The key intrigue was potential changes in Berlin’s attitude to the problem. Germany had expressed strong disagreement with granting the Membership Action Plan to Kiev and Tbilisi when NATO had met in Bucharest in April.
Merkel started with good news yesterday. She first drew attention to the progress in elaborating in-depth agreement of Ukraine and EU. It could be viewed as the agreement of association and this step is vital, the chancellor specified.
But she lowered rhetoric very soon, warning that this achievement shouldn’t be interpreted in light of potential membership in the EU, as the matter at stake was economic integration rather than membership. Ukraine’s membership in the EU isn’t on the agenda, Merkel was explicit.
It was Yushchenko that acknowledged the failure with MAP. “This issue is more than sensitive,” the president said with regret, pointing out that he was still optimistic and that the dialogue should continue and they would have some common success.
Germany is yet unready to back up granting the MAP to Ukraine, as Kiev hasn’t completed the target plan, Merkel explained, emphasizing, however, that Ukraine will be the NATO member one day. So, on behalf of all Europe, Angela Merkel warned Viktor Yushchenko yesterday that the allies are in to hurry to accept Ukraine to their club.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of July 22, 2008
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