Brussels, 22/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - Disappointed by the “lack of ambition” shown by the European Union's Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), Ukraine has not yet decided whether it will take part in the “eastern partnership” that the EU27 have decided to set in place with a view to strengthening the eastern dimension of ENP (EUROPE recalls that the Commission was entrusted by the European Council of 1 September this year to submit proposals on arrangements for the “eastern partnership” at the summit in December 2008). “We support this initiative only if it is supportive of Ukraine's interests and if it contains practical and measurable measures” allowing the Ukraine and the EU to come closer together, said Konstyantyn Yeliseyev, Deputy Foreign Minister, speaking to the press on 22 October in Brussels. Kiev will not be content with “just vague political declarations” but hopes to see concrete and practical commitments on the EU's part, the minister stressed. By concrete measures, Kiev above all means aid to the modernisation of border management for the borders between Ukraine and the EU as well as tangible progress towards visa free travel for Ukrainian citizens that wish to travel to the EU. During the last EU-Ukraine summit on 9 September in Paris (EUROPE 9736), it was agreed that “dialogue” should be launched on the abolition of visas in due course. “We trust that this dialogue on the establishment of a visa free system will begin on 29 October”, Mr Yeliseyev said, expecting Europeans to be ready to define a “roadmap” as well as “clear and precise criteria” that Ukraine should meet if it wants to benefit from a visa-free regime. The Ukrainian deputy foreign minster is highly critical of the EU's attitude (especially that of Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain) when it comes to implementing the visa facilitation agreement that has been in force since January 2008. “This agreement is not correctly implemented” by the EU which acts “discriminately” towards Ukrainian citizens (contrary to what was agreed in the facilitation agreement, many EU member states only issue short stay visas, mostly limited to three months, which makes their cost - €35 for each request - excessive for Ukrainian citizens, the minister explained).
Association agreement and free trade area. In the meantime, negotiations continue on the conclusion of an “association agreement” (the decision to call the new agreement thus was taken during the recent summit in Paris - see EUROPE 9736). Mr Yeliseyev said on Wednesday that this ambitious agreement - it will also contain the establishment of an EU-Ukraine free trade area - could be signed by the end of 2009. However, he stressed, “in our view, the substance of the agreement will take primacy over the timetable”. A Ukrainian delegation headed by the deputy minister for the economy, is in Brussels this week (22-24 October) to pursue talks with the Commission on the free trade area.
Democracy in Ukraine. Finally, the vice-foreign minister refuted the EU's criticism about the political instability in Ukraine (see remarks by José Manuel Barroso and EPP leaders in EUROPE 9762). Mr Yeliseyev believes the open conflict between President Viktor Yushchenko and his Prime Minister, Yulia Timoshenko, simply bears witness to the fact that democracy is working as it should in Ukraine (he compared the situation in Kiev to that which is “current” in countries such as Italy, Hungary and even Denmark). “These are normal events in a democracy. It is better to have political disputes in a democracy than to have an absolutely calm situation in totalitarianism”. (H.B./transl.jl)