US and Ukraine discuss security guarantees

WASHINGTON (Reuter) - Ukraine and the United States are discussing a statement on security guarantees that could facilitate ratification of the Start treaty by the Ukrainian parliament, diplomatic sources said yesterday.

'They are negotiating a very important issue . . . mostly relating to the ratification of Start (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) and the provision of security guarantees,' one source said. 'The technicalities of issuing a statement are being discussed. They are working on it . . . something that would facilitate ratification (of Start) by the parliament,' he added.

The matter was discussed yesterday by Ukraine's top nuclear arms negotiator, the Deputy Foreign Minister, Boris Tarasyuk, and the US Under-Secretary of State, Frank Wisner, at the State Department, the diplomatic sources said.