KIEV -- President Leonid Kuchma asked the Ukrainian parliament Wednesday to urgently consider joining the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty before his upcoming trip to the United States.


Kuchma's press secretary Mikhail Doroshenko said "the president insists on immediately joining the treaty because the fate of Ukrainian reforms depend on it."


"We hope that the parliament will review the issue and make a positive decision," Doroshenko said.


Kuchma's predecessor, Leonid Kravchuk, repeatedly asked the previous parliament to consider joining the nuclear treaty, but the nationalist opposition balked and blocked its placement on the agenda.


Joining the treaty would enable Ukraine to import high-technology equipment for the nation's space industry, which Kuchma has made a priority, and bring into force Russian and American guarantees of military security.


The international community is anxious that Ukraine move on the matter, as Russia has made Ukrainian accession to the treaty a condition for the implementation of the START-1 nuclear treaty.