Ukraine Cautious About NATO Bid

Speaking after meeting with NATO's secretary-general, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Yanukovych said Ukraine should "proceed gradually" as support for NATO accession in Ukraine "has decreased in the past two years."

He said that Kyiv will "significantly strengthen the information campaign" about NATO within Ukraine and then "when the time comes, the next step will be taken."

This is Yanukovych's first official visit to Brussels for talks with NATO.

In earlier meetings with EU officials, Yanukovych said Ukraine is looking at enlarging its cooperation with NATO, but said that NATO integration enjoyed only "limited support" in Ukraine.

By contrast, Ukraine's drive to join the European Union has the "full support" of Ukrainian society, he said.

Yanukovych told EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner that Ukraine wants to be a "reliable bridge" between Europe and Russia. 

Yanukovych is the leader of the pro-Russian Party of Regions. President Viktor Yushchenko agreed to name him prime minister after Yanukovych pledged to follow a pro-Western agenda.

During their meeting, Yanukovych and Ferrero-Waldner signed a memorandum of understanding that paves the way for European financing of oil and gas meters on pipelines across Ukraine's borders.

Ferrero-Waldner said the deal will increase the "transparency, reliability and safety of energy supplies to Ukraine, but also transit to the European Union."

 (AFP, "Ukrayinska pravda," UNIAN)