Ukraine, Kiev / Trend corr. Z.Novosvitski / The scandal was caused not by the statement of the Ukrainian Authorities on its intention to join the Plan of Action for membership to the NATO, but by those who made the statement, Andrei Yermolayev, the head of the Penta Political Research Centre, stated.
Viktor Yushenko, the Ukrainian President, Yulia Timoshenko, Prime Minister and Arseni Yatsenuk, Speaker of the Supreme Rada (Ukrainian Parliament), submitted a written letter to the NATO Secretary-General and stated that the Ukraine were considering joining the Plan of Action for membership in NATO during the next summit of Ukraine-NATO in Bucharest in April 2008.
According to the expert, the Speaker must have the support and wish of the Parliament and Prime Minister must have the backing and solidarity of the government in order to sign such documents.
Such blunder and impudence of the statement, according to the expert, may hinder Ukraine from joining the Plan of Action for membership to NATO. NATO countries treat the internal political situation of countries aiming for NATO membership with great consideration," Ermolayev said.
The Ukrainian opposition parties expressed their negative reaction to the statement of the Authorities due to the Plan of actions for membership. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the possible integration of Ukraine to NATO would complicate the Russian-Ukrainian relations.