Borys Tarasiuk
The Council of Baltic Sea States was formed in March 1992 on the initiation of Denmark and Germany. At present, CBSS encompasses North European countries, including the Baltic States, and Russia.
CBSS is to become the highest regional forum aimed at enhancing and coordinating cooperation among the countries of the Baltic region. A number of its members would like Ukraine to have a special kind of relationships with the Council.
The Day asked Foreign Minister Borys Tarasiuk to share his views on the prospects of Ukrainian-CBSS cooperation.
Q: You returned from Denmark recently after the seventh CBSS session. Would you please explain how Ukraine took part in the gathering?
A: Ukraine was represented at the Council’s earlier sessions on the expert level. This time were first invited to take part in a ministerial meeting as an observer. This invitation was the result of Ukraine’s serious efforts to develop close cooperation with all Baltic countries and we have made considerable progress in this direction. The invitation was a recognition of Ukraine’s role and prestige not as only an active participant in the Central European integration process, but also as a link in the axis in the North-South chain of cooperation, as the initiator of active interregional contacts between the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and the Council of Baltic Sea States.
Q: How does Ukraine benefit from participating in this regional forum?
A: Regional is the key word, I would even say interregional. After independence Ukraine began to expand its partnership with North European and Baltic countries, as they were the first to recognize it as a promising partner in terms of its economic, political, and humanitarian potential. At an early stage our relations were exclusively bilateral and envisioned assistance on the winding road to democracy and the market economy. After North European Baltic countries joined each other in the CBSS Ukraine became increasingly aware that it was necessary to expand its cooperation with this organization. Considering Ukraine’s foreign political strategy – I mean integration into Europe – we have allies in Northern Europe who are interested in Ukraine’s rapprochement with the European Union and who are prepared to share with us the requisite knowledge and experience.
Q: Would you dwell on Ukraine’s economic cooperation with the North European region and certain project directly involving Ukraine?
A: Trade contacts with that region are developing quite intensively. Given the CBSS total population of 324 million, our overall joint trade turnover registers about $15 billion. In addition, the region’s historical experience shows the best examples of lasting trade and economic alliances – for example, the Hanseatic League which was revived under the CBSS Amber Gates Program.
Among the Ukrainian projects within the CBSS framework mention ought to be made of the large-scale Helsinki Commission environmental program. We are considering the possibility of broad cooperation with CBSS, particularly in line with the programs to combat organized crime and uphold public safety. The Association of Baltic Sea Chambers of Commerce and the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce are prepared to cooperate. We are studying the possibility of Ukraine’s participation in a CBSS program tentatively called the Baltic Energy Ring. There are cooperation prospects between the Northern Bank and Bank of the Organization for Black Sea Cooperation. This will offer fresh opportunities for financing regional projects. The European Faculty, created within the CBSS framework, is interested to initiate teacher-student exchanges jointly with Ukraine, in developing common curricula, as well as reciprocal recognition of academic degrees and diplomas. The Association of Ukrainian Cities with its membership of 226 will have an opportunity to cooperate with the Baltic Cities’ Union within the CBSS framework to implement long- and short-term programs.
Q: Mr. Tarasiuk, you had bilateral meetings with your North European colleagues in Denmark. Is there any progress in Ukraine’s cooperation with these countries and how is this cooperation compatible with Ukrainian-CBSS contacts?
A: I had bilateral meetings with the Danish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Norwegian, and Finnish foreign ministers. Ukraine maintains effective cooperation with all these countries. Lithuania, for one, offered Ukraine the use of transit capacities of Baltic and Black Sea ports. Estonia is interested in cooperating with us under a free trade agreement on uniquely liberal terms. Latvia has specific proposals for the construction of transportation corridors as well as in banking and shipbuilding. Sweden is prepared to finance projects in Ukraine aimed at improving local self-government. It also is helping Ukraine to bring its national legislation as close as possible into conformity with European Union standards and in solving immigration problems. Denmark is willing to help us dispose of hazardous wastes, including military wastes, and in developing energy-saving technologies. Norway is cooperating with Ukraine and the United States under the large Sea Launch Project as well as in the shipbuilding and chemical industries. Finland is interested, among other things, in joint environmental projects. Germany (also a CBSS member), together with the Association of Ukrainian Cities, is carrying out a program called Transform, assisting local authorities in selecting and placing enterprises specializing in basic industries.
Getting back to my bilateral meetings, I would like to stress that major emphasis was made on the exchange of ideas and development of common stands in terms of extensive cooperation aimed at integration into Europe, raising the qualitative level of Ukrainian-EU cooperation. In addition, the idea of electing Ukraine a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council sometime in 2000-2001 was supported. Another result of these bilateral meetings was that the Danish, Norwegian, and Finnish prime ministers will pay working visits to Ukraine.







