UKRAINE APPOINTS HIGH-PROFILE ENVOY TO NATO.

The Ukrainian government has appointed Col. Gen. Kostyantyn Morozov as the country’s representative to NATO and, concurrently, to the West European Union. Morozov carries the official title of "principal coordinator for Ukraine-NATO cooperation on military issues." Born in 1944, Morozov served from 1991 to 1993 as the first defense minister of independent Ukraine and played a key role in the creation of Ukrainian armed forces.(Interfax-Ukraine, UNIAN, October 1)

The establishment of this Ukrainian representation in Brussels marks a milestone in Ukraine’s quest for a special relationship with NATO. It entails political consultations and military cooperation short of membership and also reflects NATO’s and the European Union’s stated awareness of Ukraine’s central role in the post-Cold War geopolitics of Europe. Kiev also regards its nascent special partnership with NATO and WEU as a key element in European security and one that does not affect Ukraine’s neutral status.

Russian Black Sea Fleet Completes Major Exercise; Plans Its Future.