Ukraine President rejects political conditions for Russian gas

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Ukraine does not want to link political conditions with the new natural gas deal with Russia, said President Viktor Yushchenko during a visit to Finland on Thursday.
      The Ukrainian President was responding to media speculation that political might be attatched to the deal that was signed early in the week - for instance, the continuation of the base agreement for the Russian Navy, or the rapid organisation of a referendum on NATO in Ukraine.
      "I am convinced that the government would not allow such agreements to be signed", said Yushchenko at a press conference held with Finnish President Tarja Halonen.
      Yushchenko, who wants his country to integrate rapidly into the European Union and NATO, considers himself to be the leader of his country’s foreign policy, even though the pro-Russian Viktor Yanukovich ascended to the post of Prime Minister late in the summer.
      President Yushchenko said that he wants to implement a previous agreement between Russia and Ukraine according to which the lease on the naval base at Sebastopol, which is currently being used by Russia, will end in 2017.
     
Yushchenko, who rose to power in the "Orange Revolution" in 2004, was the guest of the Finnish state leadership on Thursday. In addition to President Halonen, he met with Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen. During the day he placed a wreath at the graves of the war dead at Hietaniemi Cemetery, he visited the Mannerheim Museum and Nokia headquarters, and appeared with President Halonen at an event organised by the Confederation of Finnish Industry (EK).
      On Friday, Yushchenko will take part in a summit meeting of Ukraine and the European Union.
      In the Presidential Palace in Helsinki on Thursday, he praised the "resolute support over many years" that Ukraine had received from Finland in its relations with Europe. "Ukraine has gone through a difficult process, but there is still much to do in the future", said President Halonen.
      Yushchenko and his supporters hope that Ukraine would have the opportunity to hold talks with the EU on a new treaty which would also include a mention of the possibility of EU membership within a perspective of about ten years.
      In Helsinki Yushchenko emphasised that he understands that an important prerequisite for deepening relations with the EU would be for Ukraine to join the World Trade Organisation. In Yushchenko’s optimistic view, Ukraine has "good possibilities" to finalise its WTO membership sometime this year.
      The President proposed that the EU, Russia, and Ukraine would begin tripartite dialogue aimed at protecting the interest of energy producers, consumers, and those who serve as a conduit for energy supplies.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Viktor Yushchenko wants EU to be lighthouse for Ukraine (24.10.2006)

Links:
  Speech by President of the Republic Tarja Halonen at a dinner in honour of the President of Ukraine, Victor Yushchenko, on 26 October 2006

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