Volodymyr Rybak: Ukraine is interested in deepening economic cooperation with Canada and continuation of the visa dialogue
26 November 2013, 17:46
Ukraine is interested in deepening economic cooperation with Canada. This was stressed by Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Rybak on Tuesday during the meeting with Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Chris Alexander in Ottawa where parliamentarian delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is on the official visit.
He claimed that ‘in this context we hope for renewing bilateral negotiations on free trade.’ He assured the Minister that Ukraine’s intentions to reconsider some of its tariff commitments in the WTO are not aimed at restricting access of Canadian goods to the Ukrainian market. ‘We think that issues of the WTO should be settled in the framework of the very organization, and should not be allowed to influence development of bilateral economic relations between Ukraine and Canada,’ said Volodymyr Rybak.
The Chairman of the Parliament stressed that an important direction of bilateral cooperation development between Ukraine and Canada is humanitarian cooperation, particularly its scientific and educational component. He is convinced that scientific and educational sector has all chances of opening a new page in Ukrainian-Canadian bilateral relations.
Volodymyr Rybak emphasized the importance of visa dialogue issue between Kyiv and Ottawa for development of inter-personal contacts.
He said that in 2005 Ukraine cancelled visa requirements for citizens of Canada planning to pay our country a short-term visit for up to 90 days.
‘I must admit that absence of progress in Canadian Party’s steps forward regarding visa regime with Ukraine and high level of refusal of visas for our fellow citizens motivate some of Ukrainian parliamentarians to speak about taking respective measures, particularly – renewing visa regime for Canadian citizens,’ said Volodymyr Rybak adding that ‘we think that such visa regime renewal does not correspond to the level of Ukrainian-Canadian relations of the Special partnership.’ Volodymyr Rybak addressed the Minister requesting his personal assistance in settling this issue.
On behalf of Ukrainian parliamentarians Volodymyr Rybak thanked Canada for stable support in establishment and development of our statehood.
‘We believe that this is how relations of the Special partnership should look like,’ stressed Volodymyr Rybak.
In his turn, Chris Alexander emphasized that Ukraine is a special partner for Canada. ‘Ukraine is our partner, Ukraine is a part of us and of our identity,’ he stressed.
The Minister said that he understands what Ukraine’s priorities are. In this context he stressed that ‘we want to build our economic future together with Europe and Ukraine as a part of it.’
According to Chris Alexander, Ukraine ‘has covered a great distance and Canada is ready to move forward with Ukraine.’
Parties also discussed possibility and necessity of further activation of cooperation in educational sector, particularly exchange of students.