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NO POLITICAL CATACLYSMS OR ECONOMIC CRISIS MAY HINDER FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE PEOPLES OF UKRAINE AND ARMENIA
by Alexandr Avanesov
arminfo
Wednesday, September 7, 16:58
Interview of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary ambassador of Ukraine
to Armenia Ivan Kukhta with ArmInfo news agency
Mr. Ambassador, Ukraine has recently marked the 20th anniversary of
independence. The similar anniversary will be soon marked in Armenia.
How will you assess the present level of the Ukrainian-Armenian
relations?
I should says that in 2011 the bilateral relations of Ukraine and
Armenia were intensified, first of all, after decisions adopted by the
top leaderships of the two countries. In particular, on February 10-11
2011 Foreign Minister of Ukraine paid an official visit to Armenia,
which resulted in signing of a two-year program of cooperation between
the two countries' ministries. The program implies organization of
consultations, meetings and sessions of intergovernmental commissions
etc. In fact, the first step towards implementation of the plan was
the visit of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to Ukraine on July 1-2.
The Armenian president had rather fruitful negotiations with his
Ukrainian counterpart. The two presidents came out for enhancement of
the political, economic and cultural relations. Afterwards, on July
11-12 Chairman of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine V.M. Litvin visited
Armenia. The Ukrainian delegation comprised parliamentarians -
members of the Ukraine-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group.
The two countries' interest in boosting the bilateral relations is
obvious: the commodity turnover between Ukraine and Armenia totaled
$134 million. The two countries plan to increase this indicator to
$300 million till the end of the year.
The presidents of our countries have charged both the heads of
diplomatic missions and delegates participating in the negotiations
with that task. On sidelines of the visit, the intergovernmental
commissions convened and discussed all aspects of the bilateral
cooperation. The two parties once again studied the existing
contractual base to make sure that it meets modern standards. It just
needs certain changes to boost the trade and economic relations to
increase the commodity turnover to $300 million. Armenia imports from
Ukraine building materials, wheat and barley, dairy and fat-and-oil
products, alcohol and soft drinks, tobacco and medicines.
We are interested in importing molybdenum from Armenia. This issue
was discussed at the session of the Intergovernmental Commission. In
addition, we offered the Armenian party participation of Ukrainian
companies in development of one of the copper-and-molybdenum deposits
in Armenia. Ukraine imports fruits, vegetables, brandy and crayfish.
At the moment, Ukraine has a favorable balance of trade with Armenia.
What are the directions of the trade and economic cooperation between
Ukraine and Armenia today?
Ukraine has a significant experience in construction/turnkey of
small hydro-power plants (HPP) and could directly participate in
implementation of such projects in the territory of Armenia. In
addition, he said, Ukraine is ready to participate in construction
of motorway Yerevan- Batumi as part of North-South project.
Ministry of Transport and Communication of Armenia has announced a
relevant tender and we have informed the Ukrainian Government of it.
Ukrainian companies will probably participate in implementation of
the given project. Ukraine has rather big opportunities to modernize
also the Yerevan Underground.
We have technologies to modernize rolling stock and the underground
infrastructure in general. Yerevan Municipality studies also delivery
of Ukrainian buses to Yerevan. Technical parameters of Ukrainian
buses allow their exploitation in highly mountainous areas. They
are reliable and comfortable as Armenian drivers say. At present,
we study opening of service centers for the Ukrainian buses delivered
to Armenia previously. Both the parties will study the given issue. I
think that we have good perspective for this dimension.
The availability of falsified Ukrainian vodka at the Armenian market
is one of the problematic issues of the bilateral relations. As I know,
the Ukrainian companies are even going to appeal to the WTO..
What has been taken in this direction?
The problem of the local vodka, which imitates the Ukrainian one,
seems to be not relevant today. The local vodka, which imitates the
Ukrainian one, has been gradually disappearing from the counters of
Yerevan stores since the beginning of summer. The measures taken by
the Armenian government are effective and they hope in Kiev that the
problem will be finally settled in the near future. At the same time,
Ukraine worries about discrimination in taxation of the Ukrainian
alcohol and tobacco production.
At the top level as well as at the level of ministries and departments
we raised the problem of exporters of Ukrainian vodka which were put
in unequal position if compared with producers of similar production
in Armenia. As a result, the parties arranged to settle the problem
not at the WTO level but in the bilateral format. The ways of unfair
competition are also applied from time to time regarding Ukrainian
confectionery products. In particular, in April of the current year
the local "AR" TV channel broadcast that the population should not
buy Ukrainian confectionery products as allegedly they are of low
quality and even radioactive. This issue was raised at the session of
the inter-governmental commission, as here we have a case of unfair
competition. Imagine, you will have similar adverse publicity calling
not to buy Armenian brandy.
Presidents of Ukraine and Armenia discussed in Kiev the cooperation
issue of both states in the international structures...
Ukraine and Armenia are going to intensify bilateral cooperation
within the frames of their participation in the work of international
organizations and on the level of the heads of legislative bodies
of Ukraine and Armenia. I mean UN, Council of Europe, OSCE, BSEC and
other international organizations.
The Days of Armenian Culture were already held in Ukraine. What about
the Days of Ukrainian Culture in Armenia?
Undoubtedly, they will be held. During the final press-conference in
Kiev President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan officially invited President
of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich to pay an official visit to Armenia in
2012 any time he wants.
I think that the Days of Ukrainian Culture in Armenia will be held
within the frames of this visit. Holding of such events in the context
of deepening of the bilateral cultural and humanitarian relations
is very much important. I have recently visited one of the Yerevan
schools after Taras Shevchenko, were I was pleased with the attitude
of the teachers and pupils to Ukraine. The key slogan of the meeting
was that nothing may hinder friendship between the peoples of Ukraine
and Armenia. Today special attention is drawn to Armenian language
study in Ukraine. The Armenian language is officially taught in 7
schools of Kiev. The programme on study of the Armenian language in
the schools at the territories of the compact settlement of Armenians
of the Crimea has been already endorsed.
From: Baghdasarian
by Alexandr Avanesov
arminfo
Wednesday, September 7, 16:58
Interview of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary ambassador of Ukraine
to Armenia Ivan Kukhta with ArmInfo news agency
Mr. Ambassador, Ukraine has recently marked the 20th anniversary of
independence. The similar anniversary will be soon marked in Armenia.
How will you assess the present level of the Ukrainian-Armenian
relations?
I should says that in 2011 the bilateral relations of Ukraine and
Armenia were intensified, first of all, after decisions adopted by the
top leaderships of the two countries. In particular, on February 10-11
2011 Foreign Minister of Ukraine paid an official visit to Armenia,
which resulted in signing of a two-year program of cooperation between
the two countries' ministries. The program implies organization of
consultations, meetings and sessions of intergovernmental commissions
etc. In fact, the first step towards implementation of the plan was
the visit of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to Ukraine on July 1-2.
The Armenian president had rather fruitful negotiations with his
Ukrainian counterpart. The two presidents came out for enhancement of
the political, economic and cultural relations. Afterwards, on July
11-12 Chairman of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine V.M. Litvin visited
Armenia. The Ukrainian delegation comprised parliamentarians -
members of the Ukraine-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group.
The two countries' interest in boosting the bilateral relations is
obvious: the commodity turnover between Ukraine and Armenia totaled
$134 million. The two countries plan to increase this indicator to
$300 million till the end of the year.
The presidents of our countries have charged both the heads of
diplomatic missions and delegates participating in the negotiations
with that task. On sidelines of the visit, the intergovernmental
commissions convened and discussed all aspects of the bilateral
cooperation. The two parties once again studied the existing
contractual base to make sure that it meets modern standards. It just
needs certain changes to boost the trade and economic relations to
increase the commodity turnover to $300 million. Armenia imports from
Ukraine building materials, wheat and barley, dairy and fat-and-oil
products, alcohol and soft drinks, tobacco and medicines.
We are interested in importing molybdenum from Armenia. This issue
was discussed at the session of the Intergovernmental Commission. In
addition, we offered the Armenian party participation of Ukrainian
companies in development of one of the copper-and-molybdenum deposits
in Armenia. Ukraine imports fruits, vegetables, brandy and crayfish.
At the moment, Ukraine has a favorable balance of trade with Armenia.
What are the directions of the trade and economic cooperation between
Ukraine and Armenia today?
Ukraine has a significant experience in construction/turnkey of
small hydro-power plants (HPP) and could directly participate in
implementation of such projects in the territory of Armenia. In
addition, he said, Ukraine is ready to participate in construction
of motorway Yerevan- Batumi as part of North-South project.
Ministry of Transport and Communication of Armenia has announced a
relevant tender and we have informed the Ukrainian Government of it.
Ukrainian companies will probably participate in implementation of
the given project. Ukraine has rather big opportunities to modernize
also the Yerevan Underground.
We have technologies to modernize rolling stock and the underground
infrastructure in general. Yerevan Municipality studies also delivery
of Ukrainian buses to Yerevan. Technical parameters of Ukrainian
buses allow their exploitation in highly mountainous areas. They
are reliable and comfortable as Armenian drivers say. At present,
we study opening of service centers for the Ukrainian buses delivered
to Armenia previously. Both the parties will study the given issue. I
think that we have good perspective for this dimension.
The availability of falsified Ukrainian vodka at the Armenian market
is one of the problematic issues of the bilateral relations. As I know,
the Ukrainian companies are even going to appeal to the WTO..
What has been taken in this direction?
The problem of the local vodka, which imitates the Ukrainian one,
seems to be not relevant today. The local vodka, which imitates the
Ukrainian one, has been gradually disappearing from the counters of
Yerevan stores since the beginning of summer. The measures taken by
the Armenian government are effective and they hope in Kiev that the
problem will be finally settled in the near future. At the same time,
Ukraine worries about discrimination in taxation of the Ukrainian
alcohol and tobacco production.
At the top level as well as at the level of ministries and departments
we raised the problem of exporters of Ukrainian vodka which were put
in unequal position if compared with producers of similar production
in Armenia. As a result, the parties arranged to settle the problem
not at the WTO level but in the bilateral format. The ways of unfair
competition are also applied from time to time regarding Ukrainian
confectionery products. In particular, in April of the current year
the local "AR" TV channel broadcast that the population should not
buy Ukrainian confectionery products as allegedly they are of low
quality and even radioactive. This issue was raised at the session of
the inter-governmental commission, as here we have a case of unfair
competition. Imagine, you will have similar adverse publicity calling
not to buy Armenian brandy.
Presidents of Ukraine and Armenia discussed in Kiev the cooperation
issue of both states in the international structures...
Ukraine and Armenia are going to intensify bilateral cooperation
within the frames of their participation in the work of international
organizations and on the level of the heads of legislative bodies
of Ukraine and Armenia. I mean UN, Council of Europe, OSCE, BSEC and
other international organizations.
The Days of Armenian Culture were already held in Ukraine. What about
the Days of Ukrainian Culture in Armenia?
Undoubtedly, they will be held. During the final press-conference in
Kiev President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan officially invited President
of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich to pay an official visit to Armenia in
2012 any time he wants.
I think that the Days of Ukrainian Culture in Armenia will be held
within the frames of this visit. Holding of such events in the context
of deepening of the bilateral cultural and humanitarian relations
is very much important. I have recently visited one of the Yerevan
schools after Taras Shevchenko, were I was pleased with the attitude
of the teachers and pupils to Ukraine. The key slogan of the meeting
was that nothing may hinder friendship between the peoples of Ukraine
and Armenia. Today special attention is drawn to Armenian language
study in Ukraine. The Armenian language is officially taught in 7
schools of Kiev. The programme on study of the Armenian language in
the schools at the territories of the compact settlement of Armenians
of the Crimea has been already endorsed.
From: Baghdasarian