Preface - UkraineTrek.com

[http://www.ukrainetrek.com] home site map contact us add a link bookmark us discussion forum Welcome! Let's trek UkraineTrek.com now! It is the best site if you want to know plenty of important information about Ukraine. Central Ukraine | Western Ukraine | Eastern Ukraine | Southern Ukraine Preface « previous page | content | next page » The contemporary world is characterized by an accelerated dynamic of development. It is changing before our eyes. New dominants of the economic, sociopolitical, and cultural development of humanity, which will determine the shape of the future, are coming into view. New countries and groupings that aspire to find their place in the geopolitical space of the planet are entering the world arena. As a result of this a new configuration of international relations is being formed. Ukraine's first priority is an organic entry into the European and world communities and integration into the multifaceted world of complex international relations . Ukraine needs to find its own place in this space, which will correspond to its potential as a large Central European state. Under current conditions Ukraine's foreign policy course can be defined as being multi-vectored , but in practice this idea is often oversimplified. Representatives of various political groupings attempt to publicize their views as to the foreign policy priorities of Ukraine according to their own ideological convictions. The most heated debates occur between those orientated toward the priority of the development of relations with post-communist Russia and those who see their first priority to be Ukraine's inclusion into Euro-Atlantic structures. The majority orientation of political thought along only two vectors reflects the stereotype of a bipolar world, burdened by thoughts about its confrontational nature. As is well known, this type of thinking came into being during the "Cold War" and it should be mentioned that it remains well engrained in the consciousness of various segments of the population. In view of the radical changes that have taken place in the last decade it is more accurate to speak about a growing diversification of geopolitical environment and a mono-polar scheme of world order, bearing in mind the undisputed leadership of the US in the world. All these models reflect certain realities of the contemporary world, but as abstract constructs they should be considered with some reservations. Such ideas reduce reality and often impose the stereotypes of confrontational thinking, in that they foresee the coming into being of specific lines of geostrategic confrontation. In our view geopolitical space today is divided by zones of tension between the sphere of the world's real economic and political order where the rule of law, of international order, and of concern with human rights predominate, and the sphere, characterized by lawlessness, numerous local conflicts, the hypertrophy of forces of a criminal nature, ecological crises, economic disorders, etc., all of which carry a threat to the security, stability and development of human civilization. It is in this sense that we can speak about the main axis of confrontation in today's world . Counteraction of the forces of chaos constitutes the most important priority of every country, according to which its system of foreign policy orientation is developed, as is conducted its search for partners and allies. The various dimensions of our foreign policy gain real content according to such a position. The problem of geopolitical choice can be posited not only on a multidimensional plane, but also on a plane of bilateral relations with individual countries. This involves the question of strategic partnership , which at present appears somewhat clouded, as we often include in the ranks of "strategic partners" not those countries whose national interests in strategic directions correspond to our own, but those with whom we simply have good relations. At times we have in mind more the potential of the development of relations than the actual state of affairs. On the other hand, the choice of strategically important partners is a question of the effectiveness of our integration into the existent system of the division of functions and roles in contemporary geopolitical space. Strictly speaking, Ukraine does not yet have real and reliable strategic allies. Their choice and determination and the development of the potential of relations to the above level is a lengthy and complex process that depends on many factors. Strategic partner relations foresee a high level of mutual interest both in the geoeconomic and geopolitical areas. In the establishment of such relations Ukraine is, of course, basing its actions on its own interests and on its experience of interaction with various countries. It is precisely the recognition of the cardinal changes in all areas of life at the brink of the next century that determines the multi-vectored dimension of Ukraine's geostrategy in a post-bipolar world . As of today Ukraine's greatest foreign policy successes have occurred in its relations with the Euro-Atlantic community. The priority of relations with the European world is determined by our national interests. We are not striving for integration into European structures at any cost, but with the calculation of all possible after-effects for the Ukrainian people. In its relations with NATO Ukraine is guided by the positions of the Charter on Special Partnership and actively cooperates with this body in the framework of the "Partnership for Peace Program". Ukraine is building its relations with the Russian Federation as an equal partner. Testimony to such an approach is the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership, and the Program of Economic Cooperation for 1998-2007. We are striving to, with joint efforts, attain a higher level of cooperation. Precisely such an approach, in our view, corresponds to the strategic interests of both countries. Ukraine is also constructively developing relations with other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States , but mainly on a bilateral basis. Much has been said about the inadequate effectiveness of the mechanisms of multilateral cooperation within the framework of the CIS. Ukraine wants to maintain and develop all the rational economic and political ties that correspond to its present status of an independent and neutral country. Also timely are questions surrounding the reformation of the basic tenets of the CIS according to international experience dealing with the establishment and development of regional economic structures. A strategically important direction of our foreign policy is also the South-Eastern vector , in the framework of which Ukraine is developing promising relations with countries of the Black Sea region, the Middle East, Central and South Asia, and the countries of the APR. Work on the conceptual bases of our strategy in this space is still far from complete, and practical problems that arise here demand serious efforts and decisions. Not in the least, the authors of this volume would like to deeply thank everyone who took part in the preparation of the monograph, first of all to the editor of the English text Dr. Roman Veretelnyk (University of Ottawa, Canada), the translator A.Lakhnovsky and technical editor and designer L.Vovk. Olexandr Belov Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine - Director, NISS « previous page | content | next page » top Web ukrainetrek.com CONTENTS Annotation Foreword Preface Main Conclusions and Recommendations Strategic Priorities of Ukrainian National Security and Foreign Policy for the Future (O.Honcharenko, B.Parakhonsky) I. Theoretical Backgrounds (O.Honcharenko, O.Strekal) II. Ukraine in Core Geopolitical Outlines 1. Geopolitical Priorities of the Main World Powers and Ukraine (O.Honcharenko, B.Parakhonsky) 2. The USA and the North Atlantic Community - Ukraine - the Russian Federation (B.Parakhonsky) 3. Europe - the USA - the Islamic World - Ukraine - the Russian Federation (B.Parakhonsky) 4. The Asian-Pacific Region - the USA - the Russian Federation - Ukraine (A.Honcharuk, S.Nikishenko, B.Parakhonsky) III. Regional Directions and Peculiarities of Ukraine's Geopolitical Strategy 1. The North-East Axis a) The Russian Federation (R.Zhanhozha, V.Kuzmenko) b) The Present State and Future of the CIS (B.Parakhonsky, O.Honcharenko) 2. The Euro-Atlantic Axis a) The Countries of Western Europe and the Problems of Ukraine's European Integration (O.Strekal) b) The USA and Canada (E.Lysytsyn, O.Honcharenko) c) Euro-Atlantic Structures (O.Manachynsky, A.Soboliev, O.Honcharenko) 3. Central Europe and the Baltic States (O.Strekal, O.Honcharenko) 4. The Black Sea Region a) Ukraine in the Black Sea Region (B.Parakhonsky) b) The Balkan Axis (B.Parakhonsky, V.Kuznetsov, O.Manachynsky) c) The Caucasian Region. The Formation of the GUAM System (B.Parakhonsky, V.Malarov) d) Ukraine and Turkey (B.Parakhonsky) 5. The South-East Axis a) The Middle East (B.Parakhonsky) b) Central and South Asia (B.Parakhonsky) 6. The Asian-Pacific Region (S.Nikishenko, A.Honcharuk) 7. Other Important Regions and Countries (O.Honcharenko, B.Parakhonsky) IV. Alternative Scenarios for the Future of Ukraine (O.Honcharenko) Appendix. A Sociological Study of Ukraine's Foreign Policy and Geopolitical Orientations and its National Security Policy (O.Potiekhin, O.Parakhonska) The National Institute for Strategic Studies The National Institute for Ukrainian-Russian Relations Abbreviations All Rights Reserved © 2006. TrekThemAll holding, Inc. This site is not affiliated with any government entity associated with a name similar to the site domain name. Visit: Kazakhstan facts: map, flag, history, oil, food, people and more! AboutKazakhstan.com