Brussels, 02/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 30 August, Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych said he did not see “any obstacle to signing” the association agreement with the European Union. He added that Ukraine would fulfil “all the conditions” set out by the European Commission for its signature. “I have no doubt about this”, he said in an interview on several Ukrainian television channels.
Yanukovch did not say whether Kiev is ready to abandon its legal action against its former president, Yulia Tymoshenko - although an end to selective justice is one of the EU's conditions. However, he said that the idea of transferring Tymoshenko to a hospital abroad was still on the agenda. Nevertheless, “unfortunately, no one in Ukraine currently has such powers [to be able to transfer her], including the president, as the Ukrainian law does not provide for this possibility for people detained in Ukraine”, stated Yanukovych, believing that the law needed to be changed.
Although Russia has threatened Ukraine with economic sanctions if Ukraine signs the agreement (see EUROPE 10904), Yanukovych denied wanting to complicate relations with Russia and the countries of the customs union. “On the contrary, we need to reflect on how we can simplify them [relations] and try to understand each other”, he said. “We must find pragmatic solutions and our national interests will always be the basis of Ukraine's relations with the European Union and the customs union”, he also stated (our translation throughout).
The association agreement could be signed at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius on 29 November if Ukraine meets the conditions laid down by the EU. (CG/transl.fl)