NATO engaged in finding new strategic role as reforms continue
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-12-22 10:42

UKRAINE'S MEMBERSHIP

Despite the fact that NATO is yet to establish its new role, it still aspires to expand its borders, with the Ukraine being firmly in its sights for next round of enlargement.

In November last year, the so-called "Orange Revolution" in Ukraine, which borders Russia in the east and northeast, triggered NATO's interest in the country. Its President Victor Yushchenko pledged during his election campaign that he would take the country into the alliance and the European Union (EU).

The EU was cautious about further enlargement and rejected Yushchenko's call, but NATO, which has long viewed Russia as a potential rival, welcomes his gesture.

A series of diplomatic activities and military exercises have been conducted for the year to allure Ukraine towards the membership, though NATO maintained that its accession was "performance-based."

In July, NATO and Ukraine staged the "Peace shield-2000" multinational NATO exercise, the biggest joint military drill ever staged in the country since its independence.

In February, President Bush invited Yushchenko to attend the NATO summit in Brussels, and NATO Secretary-General Scheffer led ambassadors of all NATO members to visit Ukraine and to see with their own eyes the country's military reforms.

In addition, Ukraine's accession has been a major topic at various NATO ministerial meetings and forums over the year.

Russia is of course furious at NATO's further expansion of its borders.

In November, Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov warned that his country could halt military cooperation with Ukraine if it joins NATO.

Analysts said whatever stance Russia takes, it is an irreversible trend that Ukraine will embrace NATO.

Over the year, NATO has repeatedly pledged that the "door remains open" for Ukraine, though a timetable for joining is yet to be set.

NATO'S TECHNICAL TRANSFORMATION

Although NATO has not yet settled the issue of its strategic role, the technical aspect of its transformation is well under way.

At February's summit, NATO leaders reaffirmed its commitment to reforms and better cooperation with other organizations like the United Nations and the EU.

Scheffer later produced a detailed report aiming to create a "New NATO," which can better meet the challenges of "international terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and regional conflicts."

Scheffer listed five aspects of transformation as: an increase in its quick response capacity; improved long-distance deployment capabilities; sustainability over an extended period of time; cooperation with other international organizations; and an extension of NATO's geopolitical dimension.

However, the technical transformation alone can not resolve everything. Just as Scheffer put it: "Today, NATO is no longer a solo-player in security, ... cultivating political dialogue will be the crown jewel in NATO's transformation."