MOSCOW, April 8, 2004. (RIA Novosti) - The signing of an agreement between Ukraine and NATO is an internal business for the Ukrainian side, said Alexander Yakovenko, an official Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman.
"As regards the conclusion of an agreement between Ukraine and NATO, I have to say that Ukraine and NATO are developing their relations on a bilateral basis, and any decision to that effect is an internal matter for the Ukrainian side," he told a news conference in RIA Novosti on Thursday.
Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma on Tuesday signed a law "On Ratification of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Headquarters of the NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic, and the Headquarters of the NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, Concerning Ukrainian Support for NATO Operations." The law grants NATO forces the right of quick access to Ukraine's territory.
