Ukraine, Brunei to share experience and achievements – President

News / 31 March 2011 | 16:06

Commenting on the results of the meeting between Ukraine’s and Bruneis authorities president Viktor Yanukovych pointe out that the two countries have a common interest to cooperate. “Therefore, we will be working to create conditions for the soonest implementation of the agreements reached during my visit,” he said. 

He noted that Ukrainian enterprises are ready to participate in the development of priority sectors for Brunei to diversify its economy. 

They are also willing to take part in relevant projects in such areas as infrastructure development, agriculture, and training of skilled scientific personnel. 

Viktor Yanukovych expressed confidence that there is significant potential in deepening cooperation of the two countries in the military-technical sphere: Ukraine has a range of modern systems and technologies to offer Brunei. 

“Our state offers Brunei its capabilities in realization of joint projects in oil and gas production. We are also willing to share our latest achievements in space technologies, aviation engineering, nanotechnology and many other areas,” the President said. 

Viktor Yanukovych said that our countries have laid foundations for the necessary legal framework of cooperation in investment and tourism. Special opportunities for such cooperation are there right now, as Ukraine prepares for hosting EURO 2012. 

“We are also interested in studying Brunei’s relevant experience in developing tourism infrastructure,” he said. 

The Ukrainian President expressed his belief that the concluded agreement on visa-free travel of citizens between Ukraine and Brunei will provide a significant impetus to our bilateral cooperation in education, tourism, trade, and economy. 

“The interest and willingness to broadly develop our contacts we have expressed with His Majesty Sultan of Brunei Darussalam will inspire politicians and businessmen, scientists and students, ordinary citizens of Ukraine and Brunei to meet each other, find understanding and implement joint plans for the benefit of the peoples of Ukraine and Brunei Darussalam,” the President of Ukraine said.

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Yanukovych: Ukraine pays more attention to new global economic leaders

News / 31 March 2011 | 14:41

During his speech at Universiti Brunei Darussalam Viktor Yanukovych stressed that Ukraine has taken decisive steps to expand the geographical range of its foreign policy.

According to him, the global geo-economic and geopolitical changes demand Ukraine increasing attention to new global economic leaders, dynamic regional markets and trade and investment centers. Most of them are in Asia.

“Ukraine is effectively interacting with such important countries of the continent, as China and India. We are also interested in participating more actively in the regional processes, and therefore are watching the integration within ASEAN and studying the opportunities of joining the Asian-European dialogue in the future,” he said. 

In this context Viktor Yanukovych said that Ukraine considers development of relations with Brunei as one of the promising directions in Southeast Asia. “We have had comprehensive talks with His Majesty Sultan of Brunei Darussalam today. Their friendly and constructive atmosphere has added optimism and confidence that through joint efforts Ukraine and Brunei will be able to achieve significant gains for the benefit of our peoples. 

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Yanukovych: Ukraine ready to help out Brunei with flooding

News / 31 March 2011 | 13:34

In his speech at Universiti Brunei Darussalamthe Ukrainian President thanked those present at the meeting for the interest in Ukraine, which considers Brunei a potential partner in Southeast Asia.

Viktor Yanukovych stressed that Brunei is also very interesting for Ukraine in terms of its stable social-economic situation, high level of the country’s involvement in global and regional integration processes, attractive investment environment that objectively promotes further economic growth and welfare, etc.

“We are ready to lend you a shoulder as friends and, for example, establish a branch of one of Ukrainian research institutes, which would start working on such urgent problem Brunei is facing, as the flooding of territory,” the President of Ukraine said.

He stressed that the aim of his state visit to Brunei is to restore political dialogue and deepen bilateral trade, and economic cooperation. “I am confident that through our communication today, you can see how significant the opportunities for cooperation between Ukraine and Brunei are, and how can they be implemented in the context of developing friendly bilateral relations,” the President added.

Touching upon international issues, President Yanukovych drew attention to the problems in North Africa and the Middle East that are of concern to the whole international community.

“Back in Ukraine we are following the recent developments in the region with anxiety, especially those in Libya. Our first priority is to protect our citizens being there. We are taking all necessary measures to do that. As a responsible member of the UN, Ukraine will of course abide by the resolutions of the Security Council on Libya,” Viktor Yanukovych said.

The President stressed that Ukraine strongly supports the international community’s demands of immediate ceasefire and urges parties of the conflict to a peaceful dialogue to find mutually acceptable ways of its solution.

“However, we hope that in accordance with the decisions approved by the international community there will be no foreign military occupation of the territory of Libya permitted,” Viktor Yanukovych said.

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President: Ukraine open to cooperation with Bruneian business at all levels

News / 31 March 2011 | 12:51

President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych hopes that the interest of Bruneian business in our state will continue growing, he said speaking at today’s Ukrainian-Bruneian business forum, adding: Ukraine is confidently moving forward through comprehensive reforms, presidential press office reported. 

Inviting Bruneian businessmen to active cooperation, the President noted that Ukraine has currently managed to overcome the recession caused by the global financial crisis, and enter the stage of sustainable economic development. 

“Therefore, we expect that Asian business, and Bruneian business in particular, would see a reliable and predictable partner in Ukraine, the prospects of cooperation with which are versatile and limitless,” Viktor Yanukovych said. 

The President noted that thanks to its advantageous geopolitical location, including the proximity to the EU and CIS states, and highly qualified work force, Ukraine is an attractive and promising country for investment. 

Currently, the President said, we are actively working to refine state mechanisms of improving the investment climate in Ukraine. In this context, inter alia, he reminded of the establishment of the State Agency for Investments and Management of National Projects and the Council of Domestic and Foreign Investors. 

“We are interested in effective cooperation between the authorities and business. An important element of such cooperation has become regular bilateral dialogue … I am convinced that these bodies’ work will improve the investment attractiveness of Ukraine “, – he said. 

The President invited representatives of big business of Brunei to join this framework of cooperation between the Ukrainian authorities and entrepreneurs. 

“In its program, the Government of Ukraine has foreseen a series of measures aimed at stimulating investment activity, especially that connected to our country’s priority sectors. I mean transport, energy, telecommunications, environment, development of municipal infrastructure, etc.,” he said.

“We are interested in using Brunei’s experience while implementing such national projects as “Clean City “,” Quality Water”,” New Life “,”City of the Future”,” Viktor Yanukovych said, adding that some of the national projects have just been initiated, and on that stage the investors will have the opportunity to contribute to designing their concepts. 

The President separately dwelled on the project of construction of a sea terminal for processing liquefied gas in Ukraine. 

“We know that Brunei Darussalam has practical achievements in this area. We would be glad if our Bruneian colleagues joined the implementation of this and other promising national projects in Ukraine,” he said. 

Among other areas of cooperation promising for investors, Viktor Yanukovych named the projects related to Ukraine’s preparation for hosting Euro 2012, agriculture, processing industry, housing, and telecommunications. 

“These sectors are also open to investors from Brunei. It would also like to point out that your interests are protected not only by the domestic Ukrainian legislation, but also by the Ukrainian-Bruneian intergovernmental agreement on encouragement and reciprocal protection of investments,” he said. 

For its part, Ukraine would be very interested in cooperation with Brunei in such areas as oil and gas production, aircraft construction, tourism, infrastructure development, construction, management of consequences of natural disasters, and agriculture. 

“Ukraine is open to dialogue with Bruneian business at all levels – from the SMEs to large corporations … I invite you to visit Ukraine to establish partnership relations with Ukrainian companies, and discuss the possibilities of finding further ways to build mutually beneficial business cooperation,” Viktor Yanukovych said.

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Ukraine, Poland to mint memorable coins for UEFA EURO 2012

News / 31 March 2011 | 11:01

Ukrainian National Bank officials held a meeting with representatives of the National Bank of Poland to discuss issues of a joint program to produce commemorative coins, dedicated to the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship. This is the first such project for central banks of Ukraine and Poland, UKRINFORM reports.

The National Bank of Ukraine has proposed several design concepts of commemorative coins for discussion with the Polish side. Later, the meeting participants identified that the proposed projects will soon be closely examined by both parties with a view to their finalization and approval.

In addition, the bankers dwelt on the issues relating to the date when these coins could be put into circulation. The parties came to the conclusion that the coins should be issued simultaneously.

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Kaskiv:Ukraine is interested in establishing effective energy and investment cooperation with Brunei

News / 30 March 2011 | 17:46

Ukraine is interested in establishing effective energy and investment cooperation with Brunei, Chairman of the State Agency for Investment and National Projects Management Vladyslav Kaskiv has told Ukrainian journalists in Brunei, presidential press office reported.

“As to the energy partnership, there is a huge potential here, and using these instruments Ukraine can achieve great results,” he said.

Vladyslav Kaskiv reminded that Brunei has great influence in the Asia-Pacific region as an exporter of energy resources.

“It is a fundamentally new process of formation and concentration of geopolitical potential opportunities, therefore the Ukrainian delegation’s presence here is very special. If you have global partners, you see a lot more opportunities,” he said.

Speaking about the prospects of investment cooperation with Brunei, Vladyslav Kaskiv reminded that this country has the seventeenth largest sovereign fund in the world amounting to $30 billion.

“This is a good opportunity for investment … Bruneian investors are conducting a very aggressive investment policy, including in Europe. This is an additional opportunity for Ukraine,” he said.

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Salamatin: Our partners show interest in Ukrainian companies’ capabilities

News / 30 March 2011 | 16:03

Ukraine and Brunei have good prospects of building mutually beneficial relations in the military-technical sphere, Director of the State Concern “Ukroboronprom” Dmytro Salamatin has said in an interview to Ukrainian journalists in Brunei, presidential press office reported.

“We hope to move on to discussing specific questions soon. We have presented the whole range of capabilities that the Ukrainian military-industrial complex has. These capabilities have aroused great interest in our partners,” Dmytro Salamatin said.

Dmytro Salamatin has expressed hope that the negotiations of Ukraine and Brunei will be productive, and the established contacts will be interesting for Ukrainian companies.

He has also said that on June 6-9, the Ukrspetsexport State Company will take part in the the Brunei International Defense Exhibition.

“I hope this will be another important step … Our relations are developing,” he said.

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Ukraine needs pension reform to get IMF money – Tihipko

News / 30 March 2011 | 14:28

Ukraine can not get next tranche of IMF loan without implementing pension reform, Deputy Prime Minister Serhiy Tihipko said while speaking at the Ukrainian summit: “Can real reforms be implemented in life?”.

Ukraine can not refuse to cooperate with the IMF since it has no resources to ensure economic recovery after the crisis, he said.

“We have no right to change the situation and refuse from cooperation with the IMF, because we have no EU funds, which can  support the EU member-states. To be left on one’s own  means to cut real wages and real pensions, as it is already done in other countries,” Tihipko said.

To get the next tranche of the IMF loan Ukraine must adopt a law on the implementation of pension reform by the end of March to be eligible for consideration by the IMF board of directors of the allocation of the next tranche in mid-April.

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