You're reading: Kyiv favors independent Palestine

Kyiv supports the Palestinians' right to self-determination, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kostiantyn Hryschenko said.

"We consistently support the Palestinians’ right to self-determination and the future creation of an independent Palestinian state, which would live side-by-side with Israel peacefully," Hryschenko told Interfax-Ukraine.

The Ukrainian minister confirmed that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict required a lasting, fair and comprehensive solution, which could be found only through negotiations in compliance with the UN Security Council’s appropriate resolutions and agreements earlier reached between the sides in the conflict.

"We are confident that calm talks involving mediators are key to resolving this problem," he said.

Kyiv is also committed to close cooperation with Israel, which was confirmed by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych’s state visit to this country at the end of November and the beginning of December 2011, the minister said.

"I would like to note that the number of Ukrainians’ trips to Israel and Israelis’ trips to Ukraine has doubled since visas were cancelled between the countries. The Jewish state became the first economically developed country, traditionally cautious about migration risks, to agree to cancel visas for Ukrainians. This step seriously benefited Israel itself. It sent more than a serious signal to those within the EU who still fear some mythical inflow of ‘Ukrainian migrant workers’," Hryschenko said.