Azarov offers to sign free trade zone agreement in two stages

The Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov has put forward an idea to sign the agreement on free trade zone with the European Union in two stages – the agreed part first and the part under discussion later as a separate agreement.  He said at a meeting with the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis.

According to the Head of Ukrainian Government, about 90 % of the agreement on the free trade zone with the EU had been endorsed, about 10 % needed further negotiations.  “We could sign the agreed part and the one that has not been discussed yet would be negotiated further,” Azarov suggested, Cabinet's press office reported.

The Prime Minister noted that the part for further negotiation concerns the agro-industrial sector. “We’d like to solve this problem on the principles of mutual understanding and equality.” Mykola Azarov pointed out that Ukraine had a powerful agro-industrial potential and that Ukraine were planning to increase the amount of food production.