NATOsummit: Kuchma's, Lukashenko's presence at NATO summit ...
11/04/2002 | НеДохтор
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http://www.natosummit.cz/view-id.php4?id=20021104E03079
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Kuchma's, Lukashenko's presence at NATO summit uncertain yet-NATO
[ 4.11., 17:28 ]
BRUSSELS/PRAGUE, Nov 4 (CTK) - The goal of Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma who intends to attend the forthcoming NATO summit in Prague even though it has been made clear to him that he is not welcomed is unclear, according to a source from NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
According to the same source, it is not yet known whether Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko will attend the summit.
The invitation was addressed to countries, not persons. It is entirely clear what NATO sentiments about Ukraine are. As far as Belarus is concerned, it is to be supposed that NATO's position is also well known, the NATO official who requested anonymity told CTK.
The question of Lukashenko's presence is still being debated, the source said. As regards Kuchma, NATO's position is clear and irreversible, the source added, recalling the USA's suspicion, confirmed by NATO Secretary General George Robertson last week, that Ukraine had supplied a radar system to Iraq.
While Lukashenko has already applied for entry visa to the Czech Republic, Kuchma has not yet, according to the Czech Foreign Ministry. Lukashenko's application is now being handled.
The ministry nevertheless said that it was hardly imaginable that a head of state would not receive the visa when going to an international summit.
Visa requirements for Ukrainians and Belarussians travelling to the Czech Republic also apply to holders of diplomatic passports.
The Czech ministry's opinion has been confirmed by Czech diplomats at NATO Headquarters. "It is difficult to prevent the heads of states which participate in the EAPC to attend its summit. It is possible to advise them through diplomatic channels that they are not welcome, but it is hardly possible to do anything else," one of them said.
NATO sources have admitted that both Kuchma and Lukashenko are at the head of countries which have the status of NATO partners. Their arrival to the summit of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) on November 22 is therefore grounded.
Kuchma even no longer talks about a meeting of the NATO- Ukraine Commission, which was summoned to Prague by the NATO Council on the level of foreign ministers last week, but about an EAPC summit.
NATO sources rule out that the current sensitive situation could be resolved by such a measure as non granting of visas to both politicians by the Czech Republic.
Though it entirely rests with the Czech side, NATO however does not proceed like this, sources at NATO Headquarters said. It would not be good to transfer responsibility to somebody else, or to take dubious measures, the sources said.
The Alliance will act so as to minimise awkward situations, a NATO source said.
The sources say it is up to every statesman from the NATO member countries to decide how they will behave in the presence of Lukashenko or Kuchma. It is speculated in Brussels that some of them may not be willing to stay in a room together with the two presidents.
The Prague NATO summit on November 21-22 will bring together leading representatives from 19 NATO member countries and 27 Partnership for Peace programme participating countries. The summit is expected to make a decision on further enlargement of the alliance by addition of up to seven countries.
About 2,000 delegates and 3,000 journalists will also come to Prague. It is expected that several thousand demonstrators will stage protests during the summit.
tam/mr,dr/ms
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Може хтось наважиться перекласти
http://www.natosummit.cz/view-id.php4?id=20021104E03079
------------------------
Kuchma's, Lukashenko's presence at NATO summit uncertain yet-NATO
[ 4.11., 17:28 ]
BRUSSELS/PRAGUE, Nov 4 (CTK) - The goal of Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma who intends to attend the forthcoming NATO summit in Prague even though it has been made clear to him that he is not welcomed is unclear, according to a source from NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
According to the same source, it is not yet known whether Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko will attend the summit.
The invitation was addressed to countries, not persons. It is entirely clear what NATO sentiments about Ukraine are. As far as Belarus is concerned, it is to be supposed that NATO's position is also well known, the NATO official who requested anonymity told CTK.
The question of Lukashenko's presence is still being debated, the source said. As regards Kuchma, NATO's position is clear and irreversible, the source added, recalling the USA's suspicion, confirmed by NATO Secretary General George Robertson last week, that Ukraine had supplied a radar system to Iraq.
While Lukashenko has already applied for entry visa to the Czech Republic, Kuchma has not yet, according to the Czech Foreign Ministry. Lukashenko's application is now being handled.
The ministry nevertheless said that it was hardly imaginable that a head of state would not receive the visa when going to an international summit.
Visa requirements for Ukrainians and Belarussians travelling to the Czech Republic also apply to holders of diplomatic passports.
The Czech ministry's opinion has been confirmed by Czech diplomats at NATO Headquarters. "It is difficult to prevent the heads of states which participate in the EAPC to attend its summit. It is possible to advise them through diplomatic channels that they are not welcome, but it is hardly possible to do anything else," one of them said.
NATO sources have admitted that both Kuchma and Lukashenko are at the head of countries which have the status of NATO partners. Their arrival to the summit of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) on November 22 is therefore grounded.
Kuchma even no longer talks about a meeting of the NATO- Ukraine Commission, which was summoned to Prague by the NATO Council on the level of foreign ministers last week, but about an EAPC summit.
NATO sources rule out that the current sensitive situation could be resolved by such a measure as non granting of visas to both politicians by the Czech Republic.
Though it entirely rests with the Czech side, NATO however does not proceed like this, sources at NATO Headquarters said. It would not be good to transfer responsibility to somebody else, or to take dubious measures, the sources said.
The Alliance will act so as to minimise awkward situations, a NATO source said.
The sources say it is up to every statesman from the NATO member countries to decide how they will behave in the presence of Lukashenko or Kuchma. It is speculated in Brussels that some of them may not be willing to stay in a room together with the two presidents.
The Prague NATO summit on November 21-22 will bring together leading representatives from 19 NATO member countries and 27 Partnership for Peace programme participating countries. The summit is expected to make a decision on further enlargement of the alliance by addition of up to seven countries.
About 2,000 delegates and 3,000 journalists will also come to Prague. It is expected that several thousand demonstrators will stage protests during the summit.
tam/mr,dr/ms
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