President Leonid Kuchma signed an executive order on August 30 setting up a Euro-Atlantic Integration Council, Interfax Ukraine was told by the chief executive’s press secretary Olena Hromnytska. She said the main purpose of the enactment is securing coordination and control over government bodies in reaching the principal strategic goal: Ukraine’s integration into the European political, economic, and legal space, as well as into that of European security. The edict reads that the newly formed integration council will be headed by President Leonid Kuchma and that the membership will include Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn, Premier Anatoly Kinakh, Vice Premier Vasyl Rohovy, Foreign Minister Anatoly Zlenko, Defense Minister Volodymyr Shkidchenko, Minister of Justice Oleksandr Lavrynovych, National Academy President Borys Paton, Foreign Ministry State Secretary Oleksandr Chaly (European Integration), and Anatoly Halchynsky in charge of the National Institute of Strategic Studies. Anatoly Orel, deputy head of the presidential administration, head of the chief foreign policy directorate, was appointed secretary of the EAIC by President Kuchma.
Ms. Hromnytska also said that “the latest parliamentary election turnout corroborates a nationwide consensus relating to Ukraine’s European choice.” She added that there is “a stronger awareness that implementing this choice will require every effort on the part of absolutely all business and political entities in this country... This initiative is meant to give a fresh impetus to the reforms, helping reform, enhancing democracy, providing preconditions for EU and NATO membership.
