Ukraine considers integration with the European structures and cooperation within the CIS as two mutually complementary processes - Volodymyr Rybak
12 April 2013, 10:10
Ukraine considers integration with the European structures and cooperation within the CIS as two mutually complementary processes.
The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Rybak said this addressing the participants of the International Parliamentary Conference “Role of parliamentary organizations in building Europe without dividing lines” in Saint Petersburg (the Russian Federation) on Friday.
“Europe without dividing lines, Europe as a single and democratic space is the main goal and the main mission of the European Council. I am convinced that all member states of the Council of Europe, whose parliaments are represented at this conference in Saint Petersburg, share this goal,” he said.
“As soon as Ukraine became independent, the sense of European belonging of Ukraine has entered the phase of conscious state policy of European integration,” noted Volodymyr Rybak. “Thereat, Ukraine views integration with the European structures and cooperation within the CIS as two mutually complementary processes,” he added.
Volodymyr Rybak noted also that Ukraine makes its contribution in building Europe without dividing lines through international parliamentary organizations like the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the CIS member states, and the OSCE PA.
“We view our participation in the activity of the international parliamentary organizations not only as a platform for cooperation between the bodies of legislative power of different countries, but also in a broader context of general European inter-parliamentary cooperation,” he said. “Interaction between the parliaments of the European states in the multilateral format aims at elaboration of recommendations and taking of decisions that aim at building Europe without dividing lines”.
“Our international parliamentary cooperation is a good possibility to give a “new breath” to interaction between European states and to new quality of our relations in the parliamentary dimension,” said the Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament.
During her speech, the Chairperson of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matviyenko expressed hope that there are all possibilities to get rid of the existing barriers in relations between the countries of the so called Old and New world without dividing Europe into “pupils” and “teachers”. For, according to her, “no one can possess the sinless democratic system, though, we all aspire to it”.
Addressing participants of the conference, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Jean-Claude Mignon called for the parliament representatives to “focus on the topic of our joint actions and on achieving joint results, particular, establishment of the Europe without dividing lines, for this is the purpose of existence of the Council of Europe, its task posed in due time by its founding fathers”.
According to him, pooling efforts of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, the CIS and the OSCE “is the possibility to confidently move on in establishing the single space of cooperation from Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and national parliaments play an important role here”. The OSCE President stressed the necessity to coordinate common attitudes “though, it might be difficult”.
Yesterday, during the meeting with the Council of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine informed about the measures taken in Ukraine to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of academician Vernadskyi. It was a supplement to the measures taken within the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly to honor an outstanding scientist.