Ukraine considers development of relations with Japan as one of the most important foreign policy and foreign economy priorities. This was stressed by the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Rybak during the meeting with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine Toichi Sakata.
Volodymyr Rybak was satisfied with dynamic development of cooperation between our countries in political, trade, economic, scientific, technical and humanitarian spheres. “Ukraine highly appreciates constant assistance provided by Japan in order to support democratic and socio-economic changes in our country,” he said.
According to the Chairman of the Parliament, the signing by the President of Ukraine V.F.Yanukovych and the Prime Minister of Japan Naoto Kan the Joint Statement on Japan-Ukraine Global Partnership within the official visit of the Head of Ukrainian State to Japan in January 2011, testified to the high level of cooperation between our countries at current stage.
Volodymyr Rybak is convinced that adoption of the resolution on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries regarding deepening friendly relations between Japan and Ukraine, in the sphere of elimination of the consequences of nuclear power plant accidents, which was approved on April 17, 2012 during the session of the House of Representatives of the Japanese Parliament, has become a seminal event in the history of relations between Ukraine and Japan.
“I would like to stress the necessity of maintaining active political dialogue both at the highest and high levels between our countries. Holding of the Third meeting of Ukrainian-Japanese Committee on Cooperation at the Foreign Ministers’ levels as well as the first ever visit of the Head of Japanese government to Ukraine this year in Kyiv would become an important step on this way,” he said.
Volodymyr Rybak informed that he sent his greetings to the newly elected Speaker of the House of Representatives Bummei Ibuki, who gained this post after long term nationwide elections to the House of Representatives – the lower chamber of the Parliament (on December 16, 2012), where the landslide victory was won by the opposing Liberal Democratic Party.
In this context, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine expressed hopes for intensification of inter-parliamentary relations with Japan which, he stressed, shall actively promote deepening of bilateral political dialogue and stimulate development of relations between our countries in all directions. “I am convinced that these relations can best contribute to deepening of political dialogue and stimulate development of the whole complex of Ukrainian-Japanese relations,” he claimed.
Volodymyr Rybak expressed an idea that apart from the visits of heads of our parliaments, deputy friendship groups are also of special importance for development of bilateral parliamentary cooperation. He noted that such a group will be established in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the nearest time.
In his turn, Mr. Ambassador stressed that Ukraine is an important partner to Japan. He highly appreciated the existing level of bilateral cooperation in political, economic, scientific, educational and cultural spheres.
Toichi Sakata expressed hopes for further activation and deepening of inter-parliamentary cooperation.
Mr. Ambassador noted also that Ukraine consistently implements democratic reforms and wished our Country success in the negotiation process regarding signing of the EU Association Agreement.