On January 16 President Victor Yushchenko met with Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ilkka Kanerva, according to the President`s press-office.
During the meeting sides discussed priority directions of cooperation between Ukraine and Finland within the framework of the OSCE. Among discussed were conflict management, future Kosovo status, energy security cooperation. President noted that “Ukraine has always been attaching significance to our cooperation with the OSCE.
You as Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE along with your country may count on Ukraine’s support”. He also stressed that Ukraine sees Finland as reliable partner as well as Ukraine’s consistent supporter in its European aspirations.
President informed Finnish side on joint address of Ukrainian leaders to NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. This external political step V. Yushchenko explained as expression of Ukrainian side’s interest in accession to the NATO Membership Action Plan.
V. Yushchenko also made comments on internal political situation in Ukraine saying that today after returning stability into parliament Ukraine is searching for consolidation of different political groups around basic national priorities. President also stressed significance of reaching unity of views on both internal and external policy between President, Speaker and Prime Minister.
During the meeting sides also discussed possibilities of signing new agreement between Ukraine and the EU. President noted that this document should be ambitious and should foresee future transfer from partnership to association and economic integration.
