Brussels, 31/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - Implementation of the action plan for Ukraine in the context of the new European Neighbourhood Policy was the focus of discussions held by the EU ministerial troika on Wednesday in Kiev with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Boris Tarassiouk. The EU delegation was headed by the president-in-office of the Council, Jean Asselborn, and composed of External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, as well as the British Minister for Europe (who will be representing the next EU Presidency), Denis MacShane. The European troika also met President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Iulia Timoshenko to discuss the priorities of the new coalition government in Kiev, mainly in relation to political and economic reforms and the measures announced to fight against corruption.
After the meeting, Jean Asselborn stressed that the action plan - adopted on 21 February this year - will allow both parties to establish a sound and effective partnership. The European Troika confirmed the European Union's wish to support the democratisation and transition process in Ukraine. The Ukrainian authorities may be assured of the European Union's full support with a view to implementing economic, political and institutional reforms announced by the new government, Asselborn said. He went on to say that the Luxembourg EU Council Presidency has undertaken to work with Ukraine in strengthening relations between the European Union and Ukraine, and “we shall establish a first progress report during the next Cooperation Council on 13 June in Luxembourg”. He felt that the consolidation of EU-Ukraine relations will largely depend on the progress that Ukraine makes toward implementing internal reforms and on the degree of approximation between Ukrainian legislation and European Union law. Generally speaking, Asselborn was keen to tell the press of his admiration for the peaceful revolution in Ukraine, a country which is now well on the road to becoming a stable, dynamic and prosperous neighbour of the European Union. He went on to add that more democracy will entail greater stability, not only within Ukraine but also in relations with its neighbouring countries.
In addition to the action plan, Wednesday's meeting also allowed internal developments in Ukraine and in the European Union to be evoked as well as several topical issues of a regional and international kind, such as the situation in Russia, Moldova, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan. In this context, the EU and Ukraine also examined the possibility of greater cooperation with the European Union, Ukraine and Moldova in resolving the conflict in Transnistria. The recent appointment of a special European Union representative for Moldova (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.4) should facilitate cooperation, mainly when it comes to demarcation of the border between Ukraine and Moldova and improvements to the border infrastructure, both sides asserted.
The question of possibly relaxing the visa regime between Ukraine and the European Union was also tackled. Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner pointed out that negotiations on this subject could begin at technical level within the next few months, and at any rate before the next EU/Ukraine Summit scheduled for October 2005. The Council is expected to be able to give the Commission a negotiation mandate in May, she said. The Ukrainian delegation also spoke, on Wednesday, of its hope that the EU would be able to grant Ukraine Market Economy Status by 13 June this year, the date when the next EU/Ukraine Cooperation Council is to be held.