ID :
10022
Sun, 06/15/2008 - 15:10
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/10022
The shortlink copeid
MILITARY REFORM IS KEY CONDITION FOR UKRAINE'S NATO AMBITIONS
BRUSSELS, June 15 (Itar-Tass) -- Ukraine's Defence Minister Yuri
Yekhanurov said on Saturday that successful military reform in Ukraine was a key condition for joining NATO.
"After the collapse of the Soviet Union our army had a strength of 1 million people. Now it has 250,000 people and our task is to further reduce it to 150,000," Yekhanurov told a joint news conference with NATO general secretary Jaap de Hoop Scheffer after a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine commission.
He said that the main aim of the military reform was to create a modern, highly professional and efficient army.
Yekhanurov said NATO was rendering Ukraine "invaluable assistance" in liquidating excessive stocks of weapons and ammunition left over from Soviet days.
Yekhanurov said on Saturday that successful military reform in Ukraine was a key condition for joining NATO.
"After the collapse of the Soviet Union our army had a strength of 1 million people. Now it has 250,000 people and our task is to further reduce it to 150,000," Yekhanurov told a joint news conference with NATO general secretary Jaap de Hoop Scheffer after a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine commission.
He said that the main aim of the military reform was to create a modern, highly professional and efficient army.
Yekhanurov said NATO was rendering Ukraine "invaluable assistance" in liquidating excessive stocks of weapons and ammunition left over from Soviet days.
