WASHINGTON, May 4 (UPI) -- If Ukraine joins the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance it will cost each Ukrainian citizen $1 annually.
NATO's Ukrainian center of documentation and information director, Michael Dure, told journalists in Kiev Wednesday, "If Ukraine joined NATO tomorrow, it would cost five hryvnias (the equivalent of $1) annually for each Ukrainian to pay for NATO membership. That is the total sum of fee in NATO budgets."
Dure said the $1 figure was computed by a formula, used for new NATO members. "Declarations about (the) high cost of NATO membership are a myth and Ukraine will carry out reforms in any case," he said.
Dure said that after Ukraine started implementing its Action Plan to join NATO, the alliance would take a more active role in ensuring that the plan was implemented. "It isn't interference into internal affairs of Ukraine, but if you want to become a member of the family, the family should know the real situation in the country," he said according to comments reported by the ForUm news agency.
Dure said that if Ukraine was sincere in its efforts to join NATO it needed to implement reforms in its economy and armed forces sector.
Ukrainian leaders remain optimistic that they will rapidly be integrated into the alliance. On April 28, Ukrainian Foreign Minster Borys Tarasyuk said that during the last meeting of the Ukraine-NATO commission, the majority of NATO members had supported Ukraine's participation in NATO's Action Plan to induct the country into NATO membership by the end of the year.
Pakistan's president said Wednesday his country would spare no expense to strengthen its maritime capabilities.
President Pervez Musharraf was speaking during a visit to naval headquarters in the capital Islamabad, the Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported Wednesday. Naval chief Adm. Muhammad Afzal Tahir briefed Musharraf and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Rear Adm. Mohammad Shafi gave him a detailed presentation about the role of the navy.
Musharraf told reporters that his government was focusing on economic development and the development of coastal areas is a major priority, particularly the development of a $2 billion naval base and commercial port project at Gwadar on the Arabian Sea.
Musharraf said last month's handover of command to Pakistan of the multinational anti-terrorist Coalition Task Force 150 was proof of the growing professionalism of the Pakistani Navy.
Coalition Task Force 150 was formed on Dec. 12, 2001, to conduct anti-terrorist patrols from the Strait of Hormuz and Pakistani territorial waters to the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and southwards to Kenya and the Seychelles. On April 23, the Pakistani Navy assumed the command of the force, becoming the first non-NATO country to lead such a coalition against terrorism.
Turkish military leaders confirmed this week they were building up forces facing Kurdish-controlled regions of Iraq.
The Anatolian Times newspaper reported Tuesday that the Turkish General Staff confirmed during a press briefing in the capital Ankara its recent buildup of the Turkish Armed Forces, or TSK, in the southeastern region near its border with Kurdish-controlled parts of Iraq.
General Staff Department of Operations Chairman Gen. Bekir Kalyoncu said, "The presence of the TSK in the northern part of Iraq is not a secret."
Gen. Kalyoncu said "TSK's presence aims to prevent the terrorist organization from taking shelter in the region due to lack of authority in northern Iraq."
"We are not planning to end activities of TSK troops in northern Iraq as long as presence of the terrorist organization in the region continues," he said.
Gen. Kalyoncu said the Turkish forces in northern Iraq "make important contributions to preserve stability in the region. Since Iraqi authorities are aware of this, we have not faced serious problems."
"The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) will pursue its struggle with great determination till all elements jeopardizing our integrity are eliminated," the general said.
