Brussels, 19/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - Following a meeting on the sidelines of the 8th Yalta Annual Meeting on Friday 16 September, European Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle and Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych announced that they had made “significant progress” in negotiations on the association agreement between Ukraine and the EU. “We have moved into the final phase of the association agreement talks', Füle said.
The Ukrainian president said that his country remained determined to have closer relations with the EU and, in addition to signing an association agreement, was looking to set up a free trade area and to simplify the visa regime. “The issue of Ukraine's joining the customs union is not on the agenda”, he started, however.
Tymoshenko casts shadow. The two parties would like to have the association agreement initialled by December, but talks depend, too, on what happens with Yulia Tymoshenko. “If a solution is not found, even though we are determined to finalise negotiations, it could be difficult”, said Füle. According to an EU source, quoted by Reuters, Yanukovych gave assurances that Tymoshenko would not be convicted as a felon. “We were given full assurances of his commitment to finding a solution”, said Füle. He stated that the EU would like to see Tymoshenko, who is being held in detention during the trial, not only released, but also allowed to stand in elections. (CG/transl.rt)