NATO Secretary General takes note of international observers' comments on parliamentary elections in Ukraine
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has taken note of preliminary findings regarding the conducts of the parliamentary elections in Ukraine of the international election observation mission, and stressed that an independent, sovereign and stable Ukraine, firmly committed to democracy and the rule of law, is key to Euro-Atlantic security.
This is stipulated in his statement, the text of which was passed to an Interfax-Ukraine reporter in Brussels on October 30.
Rasmussen welcomed the strong voter turnout in the parliamentary elections and said that he has "taken note of the concerns expressed by the International Election Observation mission in its preliminary findings regarding the conduct of the parliamentary elections in Ukraine."
"These preliminary findings outline a mixed picture with several shortcomings, including the lack of a level playing field and that certain aspects of the pre-election period constituted a step backwards compared with recent elections," he said.
He also noted that Ukraine is an important partner for NATO.
"An independent, sovereign and stable Ukraine, firmly committed to democracy and the rule of law, is key to Euro-Atlantic security. The Alliance stands ready to further assist Ukraine in its reforms," he said.