LITHUANIA: Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich visits Vilnius and agrees on need for reform

Record ID: 741547

  • Title: LITHUANIA: Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich visits Vilnius and agrees on need for reform
  • Date: 15th October 2010
  • Summary: LITHUANIAN PRESIDENT DALIA GRYBAUSKAITE GREETING PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE VIKTOR YANUKOVICH YANUKOVICH AND GRYBAUSKAITE SHAKING HANDS VARIOUS OF YANUKOVICH AND GRYBAUSKAITE AT GUARD OF HONOUR
  • Embargoed: 30th October 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Lithuania
  • Country: Lithuania
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA8B82L7USO5KCWYHT49VVDFO8J
  • Story Text: The Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovich paid an official visit to Lithuania on Wednesday (October 14) to discuss regional economic and strategic cooperation and his county's progress on European integration.
    Yanukovich was welcomed with military honours by his Lithuanian counterpart Dalia Grybauskaite.
    After a meeting the two presidents signed a strategic partnership roadmap for 2011-2012.
    Yanukovich and Grybauskaite discussed the possibility of a new train line linking the Baltic and Black Seas and the possibility of importing electricity from Ukraine to Lithuania through Belarus.
    At a joint news conference Grybauskaite offered to help Lithuania integrate with the European Union by sharing experience and resources.
    "I said once again that Lithuania will be able to assist Ukraine in so far as Ukraine does its homework, as far as Ukraine is an open country, and defends human rights and press freedom. I understand and I wish this country to work through this difficult period which has been passed by Lithuania and many new EU member countries, already," she said.
    Grybauskaite urged Ukraine to implement political and economic reform.
    "Free trade agreements are particularly useful in a large country such as Ukraine, because the basic conditions and reforms, which must be fulfilled, that is, market reforms, the liberalisation of economic relations, the non-discrimination in economic actors as, Ukrainian and from abroad. These are the conditions, which accelerate and ensure economic development that primarily benefits Ukraine and its people, and will benefit the whole of Europe, as well," she said..
    Yanukovich agreed on the need for reform.
    "We must follow European rules. Meanwhile there is a lot of homework for us to do, which we can not do without implementing reforms and without consolidating the authorities which can implement theses reforms and provide obligations for the European union, regarding European integration," he said.
    Grybauskaite also praised Ukraine's role in ensuring security in the region and its participation in the international mission in Afghanistan.
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