SDPU(U) develops military policy on the principles that stable and effective function of the Military Force, internal force, militia, other military structures is the most important part of overall stability in the state, a crucial factor of preserving sovereignty and national security of the state. We realise that regardless of positive changes that took place recently, the idea of resorting to use of military force has not faded away completely in international relationships. That is why, we attach special importance to defensive capacity of the state, implementation of military reform, and State programme of formation and development of the Armed Forces to be completed by 2005.

We support military reform implementation based on a new military doctrine developed according to the principle of reasonable sufficiency of military capacities of the state and has a purely defensive character. Under this doctrine the preference lies with political, diplomatic and other methods that do not resort to the use of force to ensure defence and security of Ukraine. Alongside with that, we understand that Ukraine should have an opportunity to make use of military force to protect its vital national interests when the peaceful methods have been exhausted. Such approach will enable us to provide guarantees of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, strengthen national security of the state, particularly through Ukrainian soldiers involvement in peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the United Nations.

We support the idea of professional army, and therefore the main task in the sphere of military reforming, in our opinion, is gradual rejection of the principle of total military duty, reduction of the term of military service, army headcount and optimisation of its structure according to the priorities of development of military formations, economic capacities of the country and its new international status of non-nuclear, out-of-bloc state. We believe that top priorities for modern Armed Forces of Ukraine should be: military intelligence, rapid deployment forces, frontier troops, units of mobile civil defence, and anti-terrorist units of SBU (Security Service of Ukraine).

Under the framework of military reform that is presently being implemented we will take an active part in developing a modern legislative base, which is to ensure:

. gradual transition to small, but well-equipped and well-trained professional army, formed on the principle of free contractual employment;

. development and implementation of modern programmes of military training of conscripts, training and additional training of reservists;

. gradual transition of the army to the generally accepted military, organisational and technological standards;

. adjusting the system of military education and professional training of the servicemen in accordance with modern requirements;

. funding sufficient not only to increase military efficiency to a new organisational and technical level, but also to considerably increase living standard of servicemen and increase their social protection.

The question of providing decent social and every-day conditions to servicemen and their families is a top priority for us. These direct influences effectiveness of the military reform. We will fully support adoption of laws, targeted at strengthening social protection of military, resolving housing problem, increasing income and living standard of this category of population.

It is extremely important for us to introduce efficient social control of civil organisations over activities of military formations, particularly control by associations of veterans and associations of parents of servicemen. This will contribute to eliminating military crimes that nowadays are committed in the military environment, as well as cases of relations that violate army regulations, corruption and organised crime.

Modern army needs regular technical upgrade, development of new defence technologies and armament systems that require structural rearrangement of the national military and industrial complex. SDPU(U) stands for resolute state support of the military and industrial complex as one of the best developed areas of Ukrainian industry. We are certain that while developing market relations it is necessary to maintain the state order. SDPU(U) stands for an active state support provided to the military-industrial production as it is the most technologically advanced sector of Ukrainian economy. We are convinced that under conditions of transformation to market economy, the state needs to place orders with the military enterprises. The enterprises should be selected on a competitive basis. Since Ukraine's military products traditionally have been in demand on the world market, the state should pursue a policy of protectionism on the foreign market and create favourable conditions to export Ukrainian military products to other countries.

All decisions connected with privatisation of military enterprises should be quickly resolved since the efficiency of military-industrial production in the long run determines the level of national security.

SDPU(U) believes that the economic crisis in Ukraine does not contribute to effective conversion of the military industry. Military enterprises in Ukraine do not have an experience in production of consumer goods. Therefore, it is difficult for them to compete with other companies both on the domestic and foreign markets. It must be noted that military industry in Ukraine has been formed as an integral part of former USSR military complex. That is why it would be rational to renew mutually beneficial ties of Ukrainian enterprises with their former partners in CIS. It is also necessary that military enterprises develop international co-operation with military-industrial structures abroad, first of all in Europe. To make Ukrainian military equipment compatible with European standards is an important factor to strengthen relations of partnership with European military and political structures.