Brussels – Brussels has urged Kyiv to stop "juggling with new figures every day" and start an effective dialogue if the sides still want to achieve specific results on the way to the signature of the Association Agreement, a top European diplomat said in an interview with an Interfax-Ukraine reporter in Brussels on Tuesday, while commenting on the new estimates of the Ukrainian government's "European integration needs" of EUR 10 billion mentioned recently by First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Serhiy Arbuzov.
“Stop juggling with new figures every day, as they are groundless. We should come to the negotiating table and discuss the issue,” he said.
The diplomat complained that despite using the same language and words in English or Russian or Ukrainian, both the Ukrainian and European sides are talking about different things.
“We have said numerous times – tripartite talks cannot be held to discuss a bilateral agreement, while you keep repeating that the EU has to. No, the EU doesn’t have to, as it cannot do so – this contradicts the key principles of bilateral talks. I am repeating – we don’t discuss bilateral documents, which we are negotiating, with Canada or Japan or any other country. That’s exactly what President [of the European Commission Jose Manual] Barroso was trying to explain to you at the summit in Vilnius. I have a feeling that you either can’t hear me, or hear what you want to, or pretend that you don’t understand me,” the diplomat said.
The European diplomat also wondered what guarantees the Ukrainian government expected from Russia if Moscow and Kyiv bring their trade and economic relations back to normal. He noted that after the revival of its relations with Russia Kyiv was planning to get back to the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU.
“Do you have guarantees that as soon as Russia hears the word ‘signing’ it won’t place the same pressure on you again?” the diplomat said.
The agency’s interlocutor also said that the EU, which has declared its readiness to help Ukraine implement the Association Agreement, “will keep its word.”
“We will fulfill our promises,” the diplomat said.
The diplomat also mentioned Barroso’s recent statement that the dialogue initiated by the Ukrainian president during a phone call could not be used to negotiate the Association Agreement, which had already been negotiated.
“I’d like to repeat once again that the European Commission is ready to discuss some aspects of the implementation of the initialed agreement, and not to start new talks. Kyiv has negotiated this document with Brussels for many years. The agreement was initialed under Yanukovych’s presidency – thus, the Ukrainian side said yes to each page and each written word. In this document Ukraine’s position is stipulated in the way that has been agreed by us – Kyiv and Brussels – over these long six years. And now you’re saying that your economic interests were neglected?” the diplomat said.
The agency’s interlocutor also said that a roadmap, the creation of which was proposed by Ukraine, could become “a bridge between today and the forthcoming signature.”
