Leading European Statesmen Call for Steps to Improve Relations
Between Europe and Ukraine
PARIS, November 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
The recent parliamentary elections in Ukraine were "not perfect but represented huge
progress for a country that has only enjoyed independence for the
past 20 years," and should not be judged in terms of black and
white. This was the conclusion of leading European statesmen,
including the former President of Poland Aleksander Kwasniewski, speaking at a
post-election conference in Paris
on Monday.
Going forward, the signing of an Association Agreement between
Ukraine and the European Union
would represent a positive step, but could only come after
compromises are reached and steps taken to improve relations and
resolve issues concerning legal cases such as the appeal by
Yulia Tymoshenko to the European
Court of Human Rights.
This was the consensus emerging from a roundtable entitled
"Ukraine: A Strategic Crossroads
in Europe" which took place Monday
at the Ecole Militaire in Paris in
front of an audience of foreign policy experts, academics,
diplomats, economists and businessmen.
The European Union cannot be passive in the wake of the
Ukrainian parliamentary elections said former President
Kwasniewski. "If Europe wants to share its values and standards, it
should engage more actively with Ukraine," he said, adding that Ukraine is still waiting for a clear sign from
Europe.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister,
Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, reminded the
audience that an ambitious EU-style reform agenda is underway in
Ukraine, ranging from pension and
labor reforms to new fiscal and criminal procedure codes. He also
highlighted the modernisation of the country's infrastructure for
the Euro 2012 football
tournament.
"Ukraine is now firmly set on a
strategic pathway to become a prosperous European country and
deserves the Association Agreement," he said. "All our political
parties support the perspective of deeper integration with
Europe. We want to achieve this
for the benefit of the people."
Although the new electoral system - which was drafted following
recommendations of the Council of Europe and approved by government and
opposition parties - showed some shortfalls, Gryshchenko noted that
the vote reflected the "will of the people" and was widely deemed
free, calm and legitimate by international observers.
Former Austrian Chancellor Alfred
Gusenbauer noted that thanks to its geographical location,
shale gas deposits, energy transit infrastructure and vast
agricultural resources, Ukraine
represents a broader economic and strategic opportunity for
Europe. "It would be wrong if we
view the situation in the Ukraine
only through the prism of the Tymoshenko case," he said.
Kwasniewski, who is currently serving as co-head of the European
Parliament's Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, explained that, in his opinion, there
is a legal, political and psychological aspect to the case of
Yulia Tymoshenko, who was convicted
last year for abuse of office for illegally signing a controversial
$10 billion gas deal with
Russia in 2009 without Cabinet
approval.
He pointed out that the case is now with the European Court of
Human Rights and credited Kiev for
declaring that Ukraine would
accept its decision. Gryshchenko reiterated this: "We have clearly
stated that whatever will be the decision by the ECHR, we will
comply by it."
In conclusion, Hervé Maurey, French senator and a member of the
Inter-Parliamentary Association with Ukraine said that in France many politicians want the Association
Agreement to be signed. "We look forward to when Ukraine will be deeply rooted in the EU,
rather than moving into the other direction," he said.
SOURCE Ukraine Monitor