Joint Declaration on Special Partnership between Canada and Ukraine
Text of Declaration signed in Kyiv, March 31, 1994(Source: Canada-Ukraine Monitor, vol. 2, no. 2, Spring 1994) Canada and Ukraine, underlining their willingness to develop and strengthen provisions of the Declaration on Relations between Canada and Ukraine of September 22, 1991, the Joint Declaration on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Canada and Ukraine of January 27, 1992, and the Memorandum of Understanding on consultations between the Government of Canada and the Government of Ukraine of September 23, 1992, intending to establish a reliable foundation for the development of bilateral relations based on the principles of mutual trust and respect, noting that the secure existence and territorial integrity of a free independent, prosperous and sovereign Ukraine is in the fundamental interest of Canada and the entire international community, proceeding from the adherence of Canada and Ukraine to the principles of democracy and market economics, welcoming Ukraine's efforts to form a society based on the supremacy of law and full respect for human rights and basic fundamental freedoms, intending to contribute jointly to the development of a just and peaceful world, confirming their mutual intention and will to strengthen security in all of Europe and particularly in the region of Central and Eastern Europe, emphasizing the need for all states to reinforce cooperative systems, and to avoid unilateral actions contrary to the principles of international cooperation, intending to enhance the special links which have historically existed between their peoples, resolving to actively promote bilateral cooperation in all possible areas and fields for the mutual benefit of the two countries and their peoples, and confirming their adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration and the International Covenants on Human Rights, the Helsinki Final Act and subsequent documents of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, declare their intent to: 1. develop their relations as friendly states based on special partnership. 2. develop close bilateral relations on a wide range of issues and, within the earliest time frame, determine ways in which they will implement their special partnership. For this purpose, they will create the most favourable conditions for accelerating the development of contacts in all relevant areas, especially in politics, economy, security, science, culture and environmental protection, based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit. 3. hold bilateral and multilateral consultations on the most important international relations issues affecting the interests of both sides. 4. consistently create and practically implement an effective legal basis for the growth of their bilateral relations. 5. collaborate in the area of preventive diplomacy within the context of the United Nations, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and its Cooperation Forum on Security Issues, as well as in the framework of NATO's "Partnership for Peace" programme. 6. favour international efforts aimed at controlling the spread of weapons of mass destruction and achieving the nuclear disarmament of Ukraine under effective international supervision and verification. 7. support assurances safeguarding Ukraine's national security, to be provided by nuclear weapons states in the form of multilateral documents and entering into force upon the accession of Ukraine to the Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear weapons state. 8. refrain, without prejudice to their existing treaty obligations, from rendering assistance to a third Party involved in a conflict with the other Party to this declaration. 9. consider the process of regional cooperation to be a guarantee of stability in a Europe without spheres of influence, and stand for maintaining and deepening cooperation on an equal basis with all countries of the region, reflecting the principles and provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and the Helsinki Final Act. 10. acknowledge the positive international function they are playing through their participation in UN peacekeeping forces and missions of preventative diplomacy of the CSCE and continue to cooperate in amplifying the effectiveness of their measures in this field. 11. develop cooperation in the fields of environmental protection, particularly in the areas of environmental management capacity building and reduction of pollution in the Dnipro River system. 12. continue cooperation in overcoming the results of the Chornobyl catastrophe and in improving the level of safety of nuclear reactors in Ukraine with the purpose of preventing similar accidents in future. 13. continue mutually beneficial economic cooperation, including trade, based on reciprocity, non-discrimination and mutual benefit. 14. create the necessary conditions for such collaboration by ensuring consistent application of the Agreement on Trade and Commerce of this date and by undertaking to consider the issues of protection of foreign investments, new technologies and intellectual property rights. 15. consider on an active and ongoing basis specific proposals for relevant changes in legislation, economic and trade regulations of both countries, which would create most favourable conditions for reciprocal investment and the formation of joint ventures. 16. create favourable conditions for the promotion of such cooperation, understanding that effective economic and trade cooperation between Canada and Ukraine can be achieved only through the involvement of private business. 17. facilitate and promote direct contact between their citizens and private organizations guided by the conviction that true partnership cannot exist without the liberty of their peoples to develop such contacts.** 18. encourage the participation of regions and provinces, enterprises, organizations and citizens of the two countries in the widest possible economic, academic, humanitarian and cultural cooperation. 19. facilitate reciprocal dissemination of information on national achievements in culture, science, and education, the promotion of new accomplishments in these fields, and the enhancement of cultural, sports and informational exchanges. 20. resolve any disputes which may occur between them, in accordance with the United Nations Charter, through bilateral consultations and negotiations. Done in Kyiv on March 31, 1994, in two copies, in English, French and Ukrainian, each version being equally authentic. FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA: Andre Ouellet FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF UKRAINE Anatoly Zlenko |