EU Will Talk With Ukraine After Solving Its Own Problems
“We intend to develop good cooperation with Ukraine, but it shouldn’t be forgot that the European Union is concerned about its own expansion problems connected with accepting ten new members in two years.” This is how Ukraine’s chances to become an EU associate member in 2004 were appraised by the Head of the European Commission Representative Office in Ukraine Norbert Jousten during his meeting with journalists.
Diplomats say that for a long time there has been a kind of gentlemen’s agreement between the European Union and Kyiv that until Ukraine achieves visible progress in economic development and democratic values, any membership in the European Union will remain out of question. Moreover, Western experts have always advised the Ukrainian leadership to give up rhetoric and take up managing the country’s real problems.
But Kyiv appears to be turning a deaf ear to this advice. Now the president has thought up the task to lead the country to EU associate membership in 2004. Brussels, however, prefers not to talk about it. Nor does the European Union have any documented program or plan concerning Ukraine’s associate membership in any future (just to compare, Brussels plans to accept ten new members in 2004). Earlier, Ukraine’s idea was supported by a few West European leaders (German Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Italian former Foreign Minister Rugero). It is unknown, however, how well their views match the position of the whole European Union of fifteen states. And Kyiv has always spoken of full-fledged membership just as its ultimate goal in the European integration processes, without setting any definite date.
The tradition was broken by President Leonid Kuchma who first set the task before the Ukrainian leadership to join the European Union in 2011, and then corrected himself: “We don’t have a single chance to become an EU member by 2011.” As he explained, he meant maximal rapprochement between the EU and Ukraine by then. One could also mention the Ukrainian leader’s decree of 1998, now forgotten by many, which stated Ukraine’s intention to gain EU associate membership in 2007.
Representatives of EU structures evade naming at least the tentative terms of Ukraine’s associate membership. Obviously, not without reason. Primarily because the Ukrainian top leadership itself should finally decide what to join and when. Then it could expect (not demand) something. It should also be remembered that there are simply no clear cut criteria at all for associate membership of the European Union. So they haven’t said no to us yet, but they haven’t said any definite yes either. Christine Gallah, the Press Secretary of EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Javier Solana, told Deutsche Welle recently that the European Union hailed Ukraine’s intentions to become an associate member in two years and a full-fledged member in nine years. But, Gallach said, “Such words should be backed by a real policy oriented toward the European level of norms and standards.”
The recently appointed Head of the European Commission Representative Office in Ukraine Norbert Jousten also sounded rather cautious about Ukraine’s associate membership. “I think my answer fully coincides with Ukraine’s position,” said Mr. Jousten. He reminded listeners that the Ukrainian president had repeatedly stressed the necessity of EU associate membership for Ukraine, but “Simultaneously, he (Leonid Kuchma – Author) spoke about reforms in Ukraine that should precede the acquisition of such status.” The envoy also said that Ukraine could cooperate with the European Union on the basis of the Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation. Its capacities have not been exhausted yet, Mr. Justin believes. Should it mean that the agreement is a sort of a threshold beyond which Brussels will never venture? Nobody knows. The envoy only emphasized that the European Union is now too busy working on the joining of new member-states. “We have to see how the mechanism of expansion will work. And then we will talk to Ukraine,” Justin said. So it looks like Brussels is not going to discuss with Ukraine its associate or full- fledged membership before 2004.
But, apparently, the thing that will certainly be talked about is fair and transparent parliamentary elections. When The Day asked Justin about that, he relied with standard diplomatic phrases: “First of all, we expect fair elections. Their outcome and the composition of the future parliament are up to the Ukrainian people to decide.” Speaking about the European Union’s assistance to Ukraine in holding a fair election campaign, Justin said the EU funds a number of support programs for the Ukrainian mass media. Moreover, EU representatives will watch the election within the framework of OSCE international observation. All in all, the European Union will spend over EUR 250,000 on programs for mass media meant to ensure more transparency of the elections through comprehensive coverage of the election campaign in Ukraine.
