( Xinhua ) - Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said on Tuesday that her government will pay more attention to raise public awareness of NATO.
"Ukrainian government will make every effort necessary for better coordination and full implementation of the measures under the NATO-Ukraine target plan for 2008," Tymoshenko said.
"Moreover, the government will pay much more attention to the process of raising public awareness of the issues concerning the Euro-Atlantic integration both by increasing budget earmarks and by ensuring continuous cooperation between the authorities and nongovernmental organization on this matter," Tymoshenko added.
She pointed out the NATO's decision on Ukraine's bid to join the Membership Action Plan (MAP) is in principle positive, because it fairly reflects the current level and the prospects for development of Ukraine's relations with the alliance.
A survey published earlier this month said only 11 percent of Ukrainians supported the idea of NATO membership, most Ukrainians were against it.
On April 3, Ukraine's bid for MAP was thwarted at a NATO summit in Bucharest, Romania, amid fears among European allies that the move would enrage Russia.
NATO Leaders failed to reach a consensus on whether to give MAP, a program that will put aspirant countries on the path toward full membership, to Ukraine after two days of talks, despite a strong push from U.S. President George W. Bush.
The leaders decided to leave the issue to a meeting of their foreign ministers in December 2008.