President Viktor Yanukovych met in Crimea with Foreign Minister Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, presidential press office reported.
The President and the Foreign Minister have discussed the most urgent
issues of the Foreign Ministry, its priorities, and directions of future
work. One of the subjects discussed was the schedule of Presidential
foreign visits and visits of foreign leaders to Ukraine.
At
the meeting the Minister stressed that during the Presidency of Viktor
Yanukovych "the dynamics of our relations with key strategic partners
has gained a completely different dimension”. Minister Gryshchenko
stressed that it means their essential revitalization, which, inter
alia, is proved by the fact that the visit of the President of Ukraine
to the Peoples Republic of China scheduled on September 2-5 has a state
status.
"According to our information, the Chinese side is
preparing for this visit as to an exceptional event," said the Minister,
adding that it is not only about a procedural form, but also about
serious meaningful content. According to Minister Gryshchenko, the
visit’s schedule includes the President of Ukraine visiting Beijing,
where Viktor Yanukovych will meet with the three leaders of China.
The President of Ukraine will also visit Shanghai - the most powerful
economic center of China, and Hong Kong, where significant financial
and banking resources are focused.
"All this should bring real benefit to our state," emphasized Kostyantyn Gryshchenko.
The Minister also spoke about the Presidential visit to Germany
scheduled on August 30 during which the President is planned to meet
with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other political leaders. He
said that the visit "will allow us to express our point of view on the
arrangements, which we aim to reach with the European Union, and develop
bilateral relations with Germany”.
Foreign Minister
Gryshchenko separately spoke about significant interest of the eastern
partners in our country. In this context he reminded of the visit of the
President of Kazakhstan to Ukraine scheduled on September and the visit
of the President of Azerbaijan in autumn. "There are issues of
strategic importance there, there is dynamics and real interest, which
will have significant positive effects," said Kostyantyn Gryshchenko.
According to him, it is planned that the President of Ukraine will
visit France later on. On September 6 the Minister for Foreign Affairs
will go to London to prepare for the visit of the President of Ukraine
to the United Kingdom.
Besides, there are preparations going
on for President Yanukovych’s participation in the Session of the UN
General Assembly and the Summit, which will precede it. "All these
international events, bilateral events, as well as participation of the
President in the UN General Assembly Session in late September are aimed
at strengthening the international position of Ukraine, and
implementation of concrete plans at both bilateral and multilateral
level," said Kostyantyn Gryshchenko.
During the meeting
Minister Gryshchenko also briefed President Yanukovych on the
reorganization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. "The main
task put now by the President is to continue pragmatic course aimed
primarily at making foreign policy more economically oriented," said
Minister Gryshchenko, speaking after the meeting. According to him, it
means not merely declarative statements, but specific work aimed at
supporting Ukrainian exporters in solving urgent international issues
and implementing major projects that "may boost Ukraine's economic
development in energy, aircraft-building, space industry and other
areas”.
"It is about attracting significant investments that
are to come not only through the efforts of the Foreign Minister, but
result from serious reforming of the economic component of our
Government, reducing the number of licenses, forming different
regulatory framework," emphasized Minister Gryshchenko. He stressed that
the MFA should facilitate this process.
Kostyantyn
Gryshchenko also informed Viktor Yanukovych on the plans to expand
cooperation with Russia and the U.S., as well as on the negotiations
with the EU. He stressed that the Russian side highly appreciates
Ukraine's readiness to assist Russia in fighting the fires. "Your
willingness to help is highly appreciated by our partners in Moscow.
This is visual evidence that we too can really help in a difficult
situation," said the Minister.
"We enter the stage, when
results depends on coordinated work of different ministries and
agencies. The President has set specific tasks not only to the MFA, but
also to other ministries and departments of Ukraine", said Kostyantyn
Gryshchenko.
