UKRAINIAN-NETHERLANDS RELATIONS

          Ukraine strives to develop balanced and wide-scale relations with the Kingdom of the Netherlands as one of the leading European nations and the influential Member State of the European Union and the NATO. Ukrainian-Dutch co-operation is a always remained an important factor of Ukraine's efforts of integration to the European and Euro-Atlantic structures.

          The Kingdom of the Netherlands alongside with other European Union Member States recognized Ukraine on 31 December 1991. Diplomatic relations were established on 1 April 1992 by exchange of diplomatic notes. The Royal Netherlands Embassy was opened in Kyiv in Autumn 1992 by the Ambassador Robert Serry. The Embassy of Ukraine in the states of Benelux, covering also relations with the Netherlands was opened in Brussels in mid 1993 by the Ambassador Volodymyr Vassylenko. The fully-fledged diplomatic mission of Ukraine to the Kingdom of the Netherlands began its activities in The Hague in May 1999.

          Throughout this period intensive efforts had been undertaken by both parties to strengthen the political relations, to raise the bilateral dialogue to higher level and to develop an advanced legal framework for co-operation, A particular impetus to active development of political dialogue was given by the visit to Ukraine of a Dutch delegation headed by Prime Minister Wim Kok on 12-14 March 1996. In May 1996 the heads of governments of both countries met again during a visit of Ukraine's Prime Minister V. Pustovojtenko to the Netherlands. In December 1997the President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma paid a state visit to the Netherlands. As it was later recalled by the Netherlands Prime Minister, the achieved level of political dialogue between the two countries allowed to consider the bilateral relations between the two countries as "exemplary". A lively dialogue of the ministers for foreign affairs of both countries was also maintained - on 16 December 1999 within the framework of NATO-Ukraine negotiations in Brussels a meeting of the Ministers for foreign affairs of Ukraine and the Netherlands took place. The first official visit of the Netherlands Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Jozias van Aartsen to Ukraine was paid in summer 2000,followed by the working visit of the Ukraine's Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr.Borys Tarasyuk in September 2000.

          Since 1999 on bilateral contacts were marked by the considerable increase of exchange of visits by representatives of legislative and executive branches of power, various ministries and departments. Thus, in March 1999 on invitation of the Parliament and the Central Bank of the Netherlands the Ukrainian delegation headed by the President of the Parliament of Ukraine and the Head of the National Bank of Ukraine visited the Netherlands. Particularly important for development of co-operation in agriculture was the visit of the Ukrainian delegation headed by Vice-Prime Minister of Ukraine Mr. M.Gladiy in May 1999. In June 1999 deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine Mr. V.Zabigaylo and Head of the State Department of Ukraine for Science and Technology Mr. S.Dovgyj visited the Netherlands. In September 1999 a numerous delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Netherlands headed by the State Secretary E.Joustra visited Kyiv having signed a number of bilateral agreements in the agricultural sector.

          Inter-parliamentary contacts between the two countries have also become regular in recent years. Thus, in 1999 consultations took place between Ukrainian parliamentarians and representatives of the Netherlands Labour Party (PvdA) with exchange of experience of conducting election campaign. Another important event in the chronicle of parliamentary relations was the visit of the high-profile delegation of the Liberal Party of the Netherlands (VVD) headed by Mr. H.van Baalen to Ukraine in summer 2000. Delegations of Ukraine were taking active part in multilateral parliamentary forums that take place in the Netherlands, in particular, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the sessions of Inter-Parliamentary Project "East-West" in May 2000.

          Along with active political contacts and burgeoning economic co-operation the Netherlands are also an important partner of Ukraine in the area of economic/technical assistance. Sectors of agriculture, food-processing industry, energy, transport are the priorities of the Technical Assistance Programme PSO, administered by the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands in close co-operation with the Ministry of Economy and European Integration of Ukraine. Another assistance programme administered by the Netherlands Government is MATRA Programme, directed to foster developments of civil society institutions in Ukraine, to widen the spectrum of cultural co-operation between the two countries. The programme is dealing with its projects in Ukraine on anon-governmental basis with active participation of the Dutch and Ukrainian NGOs.