DEFENSE MINISTRY OFFICER: RUSSIAN FACTOR AFFECTS DEVELOPMENT OF COOPERATION WITHIN GUUAM

The development of cooperation within the GUUAM Alliance (including, apart from Ukraine, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Moldova - an CACDS note) is affected by the Russian factor, which makes Ukraine "look at" Russia's position, a high-ranking Defense Ministry officer, who asked not to be named, told CACDS. He was commenting on the outcome of deputy Chiefs of General Staffs' meeting of the GUUAM member nations, which took place in Kyiv last week. Not only Ukraine is forced to look at Russia, an evidence of which was the absence from the meeting of a representative of Uzbekistan, the officer pointed out.

The officer underscored the need for Ukraine to pursue multi-dimensional foreign policies, which, as he put it, is "required by the present-day situation". He believes "Ukraine can and must aim to be a leader in its sub-region." Commenting on Ukraine's effort to provide security for the Caucasian oil and gas pipelines, the officer said, "Ukraine has the potential to do so." At the same time, he said Ukrainian military contingent should not stay in the Caucasian region for long.

(CACDS, March 7)