Minsk - Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov has said that the Ukrainian government is studying the experience of the Customs Union.
“Three countries (Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan) have been in ongoing negotiations over the past ten years, and I know about these negotiations. All of the parties took into account their specificities and peculiarities. They agreed on things, created certain trade (rules), certain technical regulations, and developed a base of at least 120 legal agreements. All of these agreements have undergone ratification and the necessary state procedures,” Azarov said on the Belarus 1 television channel.
“The Ukrainian government decided that it’s quite possible to join the agreement governing the technical regulations. And now our government will start this procedure. We’ll have to talk with our partners, whether they are ready to accept such a position by Ukraine,” he said.
Azarov also said that “a formula offered by the Ukrainian president has finally been realized after a well-known memorandum of four countries stipulated that Ukraine would receive observer status in the Customs Union. We participate in the work of the Supreme Economic Council of the three countries and are ready to further participate in the work of the intergovernmental bodies of the Customs Union.”
“Ukraine does not just set the goal of being with the countries of the European Union or with the countries of the Customs Union. It is simply fated for this cooperation. We’re neighbors. We have a long border, including with Belarus, Russia and the EU countries. The geographical position itself obliges us to engage in such comprehensive cooperation,” Azarov said.
Azarov will be on an official visit to Belarus on Oct. 7.
