On the other side of Europe
This week the urbane Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Mr Volodymyr Ogryzko was in town. He had successful meetings with David Miliband and William Hague. Our bilateral relationship is excellent.
The country has been enjoying strong economic growth, and the signs of prosperity in Kiev are apparent. However there is still conflict with Russia over gas supplies, and a difficult relationship between President Yushchenko and the Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
In London it has been quite a Ukrainian week, with a very well attended Ukrainian Investment summit, organised by Adam Smith conferences. Inflation may be growing there, but the investment opportunities continue to look good.
Ukraine wants to join both the EU and NATO, even if it’s a long term aspiration. Russia strongly objects to the latter, and curiously Germany has its reservations too. The process will be taken on shortly at a NATO conference in Bucharest. Britain supports Ukraine on both accounts.
President Yushchenko is keen to visit Britain, as we are to receive him. Hopefully this will happen in the next few months. One aspect of his visit will be his desire, felt deeply in Ukraine, to publicise the famine which killed millions of Ukrainians in the 1930s. It is called the Holodomor and was deliberately caused by Stalin. There is a remarkable archive on this, and an exhibition about the Holodomor is planned.
This week in Parliament the following Early Day Motion was put down, and a copy given to The Foreign Minister. It encapsulates the view of MPs right across the political divide.
Ukraine
‘That this house welcomes important progress made by Ukraine in it’s democratic development with the conduct of another election in September 2007 which was judged by the ODCE led international election observation mission to be conducted “in line with international commitments and standards”; congratulates Yulia Tymoshenko on her election as Prime Minister; further welcomes the recent successful outcome of negotiations concerning Ukraine’s membership of the World Trade Organisation which now provides the basis for talks on an EU-Ukraine free trade agreement; urges the speedy negotiation of a new enhanced agreement between Ukraine and the European Union based on political association and economic integration; supports Ukraine’s aspirations to become a member of the European Union and urges the Rada to continue with a programme of political, economic, social and judicial reform; recognises Ukraine’s contribution towards strengthening security throughout the Euro Atlantic area and it’s active cooperation with NATO and hopes this relationship can be strengthened and elevated following the Bucharest summit in April 2008.’