Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

www.poroshenko.com.ua Kyiv, October 16 (Interfax-Ukraine) - EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana has sent a letter to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Petro Poroshenko congratulating him on his appointment, the Foreign Ministry's press service reported on Friday.

Solana said the negotiations on an Association Agreement have shown that the relations between Ukraine and the EU have deepened in the past years. "This is a major success, enabled by Ukraine's steps forward towards the consolidation of its democracy," the letter reads.

Solana recalled Poroshenko's personal role in the establishment of the EU Border Assistance Mission in 2005, which has also contributed to the joint efforts in the settlement of the Transdniestrian conflict.

The EU High Representative also stressed that the new agreement between Ukraine and the EU will give a new impetus to the further deepening of cooperation, in particular in foreign and security policy. In this context, Solana also expressed hope for Ukraine's enhanced contribution to the EU-led crisis management operations.