Ukraine Will Satisfy EU Requirements For Signing Association Agreement - President Yanukovych
KYIV, Ukraine, August 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
Ukraine will fulfill the necessary conditions for signing the Association Agreement with the EU, said President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych during his interview with journalists representing four leading TV channels in Ukraine (Inter, 1+1, ICTV, Channel 5) on August 29. During the interview Ukrainian official also stressed that the national interests will always remain at the heart of Ukraine's relations while integrating into any association.
"Today, I see no obstacles for signing this document [Association Agreement - Ed.]. The terms that were provided by the European Commission will be met. I have no doubts about it," said President Yanukovych. He also reminded that Ukraine's European choice has been an integral part of the law "On the basis of domestic and foreign policy," and should not be doubted.
While talking on the issue of integration President Yanukovych noted of the importance of the national interests. "We need to find pragmatic solutions, and our national interests will always be the basis for Ukraine's relations with both the European Union and the Customs Union," he said.
Speaking about relations between Ukraine and the Customs Union, President Viktor Yanukovych said that Ukraine should seek understanding in the relationship with the Union.
Notably, on August 28 Member of the European Parliament Pawel Kowal recommended signing the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement before the Summit in Vilnius, which is scheduled for November 2013. The chairman of the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee in the European Parliament recommended the signing ahead of schedule as a measure to stop the tension between Russia and Ukraine.
In July 2013, the European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Štefan Füle stressed that Ukraine demonstrated positive trend while preparing for signing the Association Agreement with the EU. Ukraine's government understands how important the agreement is for the country as well as for the EU, he noted.
Interestingly, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych is considered to be an ally of the opposition on the issue of foreign policy in the context of signing the Association Agreement with the EU. The respective statement has been issued by one of the opposition leaders and a former Ukrainian Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko during a roundtable Understanding for the Sake of European Future on August 23, 2013, reports Ukrinform.
SOURCE Worldwide News Ukraine
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