EU Offers To Negotiate Free Trade Pact With Ukraine
BRUSSELS, Belgium -- The European Union is offering to negotiate a free trade pact with Ukraine, as it seeks to build closer political and economic ties with the country without offering it the prospect of full membership in the bloc.
The president of the EU's executive office, Jose Manuel Barroso, met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych on Tuesday to discuss a possible trade deal and closer energy and political ties.
"We are willing to be as ambitious as possible with a free trade area with a country that we want as close as possible with the European Union," Barroso told reporters.
Negotiations on a free trade pact as part of a broad so-called enhanced agreement between Brussels and Kyiv is conditional on Ukraine joining the World Trade Organization. The enhanced agreement does not offer the prospect of future EU membership.
Yanukovych, who was making his second visit to EU headquarters since taking office last year, said his government placed "great importance" on closer ties with the 27-nation bloc.
"A free trade area established after Ukraine's accession to the WTO; this is the nearest task that we should implement," Yanukovych said. "Only consistent steps both by Ukraine and the European Union will bring us closer in the future to our strategic goal of joining the European Union."
The EU and Ukraine began negotiations on an enhanced agreement this month despite disagreements among Ukraine's top political figures over the country's course.
Yanukovych is locked in a power struggle with his main political rival, pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko, who made a one-day visit to Brussels earlier this month.
Almost a dozen opposition lawmakers defected to the ruling parliamentary coalition of Yanukovych last week, dealing a major blow to Yushchenko.
Yanukovych's coalition has trimmed back Yushchenko's authority and sought to counter the president's strongly pro-Western push in foreign policy.
The prime minister has put Ukraine's move toward NATO membership on hold and forced the ouster of one of Yushchenko's allies who was serving as foreign minister.
The political rivalry has caused concern in the EU over the stability of a neighbor that is becoming increasingly important as a transit route for western Europe's oil and gas supplies from Russia and the Caspian region.
Source: Kyiv Post
posted by Nicholas @ 12:24 AM
1 Comments:
The European offer only solidifies that in the eyes of many European countries the UKRAINE IS important and plays a major role NOW and will definitely in the near future!!!
...The people of the Ukraine need to understand this!..I just had a discussion with several important businessmen here in the U.S and one other journalist!
...They were all aware of the many current events happening in the Ukraine and area aware of Russia's attempts to keep trying to influence the UKRAINE government and people!!
..The E.U. has not made offers to Russia as it has to the UKRAINE..The UKRAINE is VERY STRATEGIC and LOGISTIC and has many resources..among them its talented and hard working people!!
...I respect the long time feelings of culture andf ancestry for Russia by Ukraine citizens but Russias future is with STRONGER ties with Europe and the west and also..That is where much of the money is!!
..Perhaps Vladimar Putin should take on a new approach in European affairs!
..Russia has opened up many gasoline stations now in the U.S BUT I know many U.S. citizens will not buy there because of the way they have treated their brothers and sisters in the UKRAINE!
...I am currently working on a new documentary which includes the Ukraine as a major player in European and world affairs and also on the war against terrorism!
..As mentioned before my good friend Andrej Zaplienko and myself has done an investigation in the Crimea last year!...A video is available at patriotstv.com!!
..Finally I and many would like to see more UNITY--A LOT MORE in parliament..To you Nicholas and the GOOD people of the UKRAINE march on and be a success...SINCERELY AS ALWAYS...Wes Rodgers PATRIOTS TV!!
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