Serbian president meets with Ukrainian counterpart

Serbian and Ukrainian president Boris Tadic and Viktor Yanukovych agreed that the two countries had great scope for improved economic cooperation, said reports. After their meeting in Kiev on Thursday, the two presidents also stated that agreed that, with the global economic crisis, friendly countries should cooperate to the fullest extent possible. Serbian president meets with Ukrainian counterpart After a meeting he had with President Yanukovych on the first day of his official visit to Kiev, Tadic said that Serbia and Ukraine were two countries whose peoples and cultures were connected through historical and spiritual ties, adding that he had the expectation that the ties would be confirmed in future economic cooperation. The two presidents expressed their satisfaction about the results of the Serbian-Ukrainian intergovernmental commission for economic and scientific and technical cooperation, adding that it was necessary to establish regular annual sessions of the joint business forum. President Tadic said he and Yanukovych agreed on the need for enhanced political cooperation within international organizations such as UN and OSCE and thanked Ukraine for its principled support on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija. Tadic pointed out that Serbia would not recognize Kosovo's independence, but added that Serbia wanted to find a compromise solution that would positively affect the lives of people and that would not be a new threat to regional stability. "We agreed to exchange experiences in the process of European integration. We expect Ukraine to show a positive attitude when it comes to Serbia's intention to become a member of the WTO. We agreed that in times of crisis, we need to find new markets for our products and that greater coordination in that regard would do good to both countries,” said Tadic. The president of Serbia extended to his Ukrainian colleague an official invitation to visit Serbia. The Ukrainian president said that today's meeting confirmed the mutual aspiration to develop bilateral relations to the benefit of both nations and that the historical and cultural closeness was a secure foundation for furthering the relations in the future. The topic of European integration is very important as it is of strategic importance for both Serbia and Ukraine, said Yanukovych, noting that it is obvious that it is very useful for the two countries to exchange experiences on their cooperation with the EU. In that regard, Yanukovych congratulated Serbia on the European Commission's recommendation that the country should be granted an EU membership candidate status. Though noting that it is very positive that the two states have been seeing continued growth in trade over the recent years, Yanukovych said the trade volume was still too small if the huge potential and the common interests of the two countries were taken into account. We are confident that the joint business activities, such as participation in the privatization process in the two countries, are of key significance to Serbia and Ukraine, said Yanukovych. President Tadic's visit, he said, gives new impetus to the Serbian-Ukrainian relations in all spheres, as confirmed by the agreement on the preparations for the creation of a free trade zone. The Serbian state delegation also comprised Minister of Defense Dragan Sutanovac, Minister of Agriculture, Trade, Forestry and Water Management Dusan Petrovic and Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ivan Mrkic. The ministers and their Ukrainian colleagues signed four interstate documents: an agreement on road transportation of passengers and goods, an agreement on defense cooperation, a protocol on cooperation between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the Protocol on the fourth session of the Serbian-Ukrainian Intergovernmental Joint Commission for Economic and Scientific and Technical Cooperation. President Tadic will meet with Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian parliament) Volodymyr Lytvyn and Prime Minister Mykola Azarov on Friday. The economic relations between Serbia and the Ukraine are well below the potential of the two countries: in 2010, the trade exchange amounted to USD 489.4mn, of which USD 195.5mn fell on Serbian exports. This means that the coverage of imports by exports was 66 percent. Over the first nine months of this year, it has already reached last year's level. Tadic and Yanukovych meet in Kiev (Tanjug)

Serbian president meets with Ukrainian counterpart

After a meeting he had with President Yanukovych on the first day of his official visit to Kiev, Tadić said that Serbia and Ukraine were two countries whose peoples and cultures were connected through historical and spiritual ties, adding that he had the expectation that the ties would be confirmed in future economic cooperation.

The two presidents expressed their satisfaction about the results of the Serbian-Ukrainian intergovernmental commission for economic and scientific and technical cooperation, adding that it was necessary to establish regular annual sessions of the joint business forum.

President Tadić said he and Yanukovych agreed on the need for enhanced political cooperation within international organizations such as UN and OSCE and thanked Ukraine for its principled support on the issue of Kosovo and Metohija.

Tadić pointed out that Serbia would not recognize Kosovo's independence, but added that Serbia wanted to find a compromise solution that would positively affect the lives of people and that would not be a new threat to regional stability.

"We agreed to exchange experiences in the process of European integration. We expect Ukraine to show a positive attitude when it comes to Serbia's intention to become a member of the WTO. We agreed that in times of crisis, we need to find new markets for our products and that greater coordination in that regard would do good to both countries,” said Tadić.

The president of Serbia extended to his Ukrainian colleague an official invitation to visit Serbia.

The Ukrainian president said that today's meeting confirmed the mutual aspiration to develop bilateral relations to the benefit of both nations and that the historical and cultural closeness was a secure foundation for furthering the relations in the future.

The topic of European integration is very important as it is of strategic importance for both Serbia and Ukraine, said Yanukovych, noting that it is obvious that it is very useful for the two countries to exchange experiences on their cooperation with the EU.

In that regard, Yanukovych congratulated Serbia on the European Commission's recommendation that the country should be granted an EU membership candidate status.

Though noting that it is very positive that the two states have been seeing continued growth in trade over the recent years, Yanukovych said the trade volume was still too small if the huge potential and the common interests of the two countries were taken into account.

We are confident that the joint business activities, such as participation in the privatization process in the two countries, are of key significance to Serbia and Ukraine, said Yanukovych.

President Tadić's visit, he said, gives new impetus to the Serbian-Ukrainian relations in all spheres, as confirmed by the agreement on the preparations for the creation of a free trade zone.

The Serbian state delegation also comprised Minister of Defense Dragan Šutanovac, Minister of Agriculture, Trade, Forestry and Water Management Dušan Petrović and Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ivan Mrkić.

The ministers and their Ukrainian colleagues signed four interstate documents: an agreement on road transportation of passengers and goods, an agreement on defense cooperation, a protocol on cooperation between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the Protocol on the fourth session of the Serbian-Ukrainian Intergovernmental Joint Commission for Economic and Scientific and Technical Cooperation.

President Tadić will meet with Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian parliament) Volodymyr Lytvyn and Prime Minister Mykola Azarov on Friday.

The economic relations between Serbia and the Ukraine are well below the potential of the two countries: in 2010, the trade exchange amounted to USD 489.4mn, of which USD 195.5mn fell on Serbian exports.

This means that the coverage of imports by exports was 66 percent. Over the first nine months of this year, it has already reached last year's level.