Ukrinform
December 22, 2014
VERKHOVNA RADA CANCELS UKRAINE’S NON-BLOC STATUS
KYIV: The Verkhovna Rada has adopted as a basis and as a whole presidential bill No. 1014-3 introducing amendments to certain laws of Ukraine on Ukraine’s refusal to implement non-alignment policy.
A total of 303 MPs voted for this decision at a parliament meeting on Tuesday.
“Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, unlawful annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the waging of the so-called ‘hybrid war’ against our country, military intervention in the eastern regions of Ukraine and constant military, politic, economic and informational pressure imposed by Russia, stipulate the need to seek more effective guarantees of independence, sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” reads the explanatory note to the draft law.
As Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said, the non-aligned status of Ukraine, which was declared in 2010, has proved to be ineffective, and he intends to bring Ukraine back to the path of integration into the Euro-Atlantic space.
In addition, the president stressed that there was no alternative to Ukraine’s membership of the EU and NATO.
He also stated that the issue of Ukraine’s possible accession to NATO would be resolved at a nationwide referendum.
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Interfax-Ukraine
December 22, 2014
Ukraine should ask NATO to grant MAP – MP
The next step for Ukraine, after repealing its non-aligned status, is to ask NATO to grant Ukraine a Membership Action Plan (MAP), Batkivschyna MP Hryhoriy Nemyria said.
“A well-time and high-quality appeal to NATO over granting MAP should be prepared,” he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday.
The lawmaker went on to say that revoking Ukraine’s non-aligned status must be a first step in the step-by-step integration of Ukraine into NATO. “The next decision is by the executive. A quality annual Ukraine-NATO plan must be adopted. Ukraine-NATO intensified dialogue should be set,” Nemyria said.
As earlier reported the Verkhovna Rada has adopted amendments to the laws regulating the country’s domestic and foreign policy, as well as national security principles, repealing Ukraine’s non-aligned status.
The note explains that the decision to revoke non-aligned status is a result of Russian aggression towards Ukraine.
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Interfax-Ukraine
December 22, 2014
Ukraine has no alternative to Euro-Atlantic integration – Poroshenko
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said that there is no alternative to Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration
While commenting on the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of the law cancelling Ukraine’s non-aligned status, Poroshenko said: “We have finally corrected the mistake – 303 deputies voted for the rejection of Ukraine’s non-aligned status.”
“European and Euro-Atlantic integration is a path for Ukraine that has no alternatives. Glory to Ukraine!” he wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday.
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Interfax-Ukraine
December 22, 2014
Lavrov: Ukrainian abandonment of non-aligned status escalates confrontation
The Ukrainian decision to abandon its non-aligned status is counterproductive and escalates tensions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
“This is a counterproductive [move] which escalates confrontations and creates an illusion that a profound domestic crisis in Ukraine can be settled by the adoption of such laws,” Lavrov told reporters on Tuesday responding to a question from Interfax.
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