04 April 2011, 09:00
Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, expects the official visit of the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation to the Republic of Serbia to give impetus to the Ukrainian-Serbian cooperation.
"I am glad that it is the parliamentary component that sets the pace in the renewal of the Ukrainian-Serbian political dialogue at the supreme level," stated V.Lytvyn in the interview to the Serbian newspaper "Politika" on Monday. "Implementation of any initiatives in the bilateral relations requires parliamentary support. I am convinced that the dialogue launched during this visit will be reinforced at the presidential and governmental levels."
V.Lytvyn declared that Ukraine is interested in developing mutually beneficial cooperation with Serbia within such international institutions as the Council of Europe, OSCE, BSEC, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Regional Cooperation Council, the Danube Commission, the Danube Cooperation Process, and the Central European Initiative. "We hope for a close cooperation in the form of a mutual support of the initiatives during Ukraine´s chairmanship over the Ministerial Committee of the Council of Europe, and Serbia´s chairmanship over the Central European Initiative," he stressed.
The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine singled out the perspective areas of bilateral cooperation, namely, machine building, transport, construction, pharmaceutics, agriculture, tourism and oil industry. V.Lytvyn called for boosting participation of the businessmen in the international and domestic exhibitions and fairs to use the capacities of Ukraine and Serbia for extending trade and economic cooperation.
The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine attaches great importance to the direct contacts between the business environments of Ukraine and Serbia for the extension of trade and economic cooperation. He supposes that fulfillment of the agreements reached during the third meeting of the Ukrainian-Serbian Inter-Governmental Panel on Trade and Economic, and Research and Development Cooperation should foster such contacts.
The Head of the Parliament also mentioned the idea of organizing a business forum in Ukraine in 2011 to specify implementation of the joint projects in the sectors of transport, agriculture, pharmaceutics, machine building, and tourism. Systemic and regular work of the Ukrainian-Serbian Business Council of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of both countries, as well as active visits of the Serbian entrepreneurs to Ukraine would support interaction in these areas, believes V.Lytvyn.
He assured that Ukraine is interested in attracting Serbian assets to the implementation of different projects. Moreover, Ukraine was said to have a corresponding legislative base that protects the rights of foreign investors and businessmen.
The Head of the Parliament deems necessary to involve Ukraine and Serbia in the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Danube region to foster economic development, environmental safety, European integration, bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
Dwelling upon the bilateral inter-parliamentary cooperation, V.Lytvyn called for arranging regular meetings between Ukraine-Serbia deputy groups of friendship, and exchange of delegates of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariate and Secretariat of the Serbian Parliament. He also supports working contacts between the parliamentary factions and committees.
V.Lytvyn stated that a permanent inter-parliamentary dialogue will support the European integration of both states, harmonization of the domestic law with the European standards, cooperation in the leading international organizations, and legislative support of trade and economic relations.
V.Lytvyn thanked Serbian leaders for the assistance and substantial contribution into the liquidation of negative consequences of Chornobyl disaster, since at least two thousand Ukrainian children have received recreation programs in Serbia. He also expressed his gratitude for arranging proper conditions to meet the national-cultural needs of the Ukrainian - Carpatho-Russian community in Serbia.
The Head of the Parliament called for fostering cultural contacts. In this context, erection of the monument to Taras Shevchenko in Serbia and a prominent Serbian figure in Ukraine would confirm the sincere friendship between the nations.