Ukraine   15 Feb. 2008	Remarks by the Chairman of the Military Committee, General Ray Henault to the Ukrainian media General Henault (far right) addresses the Ukrainian National Defence Academy in Kiev, about the issues that will inform the work of the Military Committee this year. The Chairman provided the keynote address for "NATO week" at the Academy, with current and future leaders of the Ukrainian military in attendance. News NATO-Ukraine relations Chairman Military Committee Opinions 14-15 Feb 2008 - NATO/IMS NATO Chairman of Military Committee visits Kyiv Good morning. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you for a few minutes about NATO in this wonderful training facility that is the Ukrainian National Defence Academy. My delegation and I arrived yesterday and while the weather is cold, we have received a very warm reception so far from our military hosts. I come from central Canada, in fact, from the province of Manitoba, home of a very large number of families of Ukrainian descent, so the winter-like conditions makes me feel right at home here in Kiev. First, let me say how honoured I am to be here today to represent NATO in marking the Day of Honouring Servicemen in Missions Outside Ukraine. Your nation has a proud history of dedicated and professional service, and this is a tradition you are taking forward today on operations, four of which are with NATO. The main reason for my visit is to speak to the current and future senior leaders of your armed forces, to defence and security specialists, and to Defence Minister EKHANUROV. Thank you, General Kyrychenko (Sergyi), to you and your staff for the productive and informative discussions we have had to date. Yesterday I took the occasion to thank General Kyrychenko – and today Minister Ekhanurov – for the contributions of Ukraine to NATO’s missions, including in Kosovo; in Operation Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean; at the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan; and with the NATO training mission in Iraq. Ukraine is the only partner country that contributes to each of our current NATO missions and operations. This is a significant step to making your forces more interoperable with NATO’s. We discussed progress to reform Ukraine’s defence and security sectors, and I would describe your achievements as impressive. We look forward to continuing this cooperation and indeed, in deepening our relations, contacts, and activities. The theme for this year’s week-long study session at the Ukrainian National Defence Academy, co-organized by the NATO Defence College in Rome, is “NATO and Partners Addressing Security Challenges”. In my view, this is a very appropriate theme, reflecting the fundamental strategic security issues that confront and challenge policy-makers. I will shortly address the course participants about the very full agenda of the Military Committee, NATO’s highest military authority. With less than six weeks to go until the NATO Summit in Bucharest, ongoing NATO operations on three continents, and a 60th anniversary Summit next year, I assure you it is a full agenda. Thank you for coming and I have time for questions.