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President's state visit to Ukraine continues15.10.2002
The second day of President Arnold Rüütel's state visit to Ukraine began with a meeting in the Verkhovna Rada. The Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament, Volodymyr Lytvyn, welcomed the Estonian Head of State and gave him an overview of the current goals of Ukraine and Verkhovna Rada. Speaker Lytvyn noted that Ukraine wanted to have a share in Estonia's experience in the field of European integration for the latter was Ukraine's top priority too. In the course of the meeting in the Parliament, in which representatives of the opposition also participated, the Estonian Head of State was briefed on Ukraine's domestic developments. As emphasized by President Rüütel, it was of great interest to Estonia that democratic environment in the region were continuously expanding.
At the meeting in the Parliament, both sides underscored their desire to strengthen the co-operation between our two Parliaments. Speaker Lytvyn said that in the Verkhovna Rada soon an Ukrainian-Estonian parliamentary group would be formed.
Later this morning, President Rüütel had a meeting with Prime Minister of Ukraine Anatoliy Kinakh as well. The focal point of their talks was how to expand our bilateral relations, in the first place trade relations. The Ukrainian Prime Minister indicated that Ukraine wanted to have close trade relations with Estonia also subsequent to the forthcoming enlargement of the European Union. President Rüütel assured that Estonia had similar interests concerning Ukraine. In addition, the Estonian Head of State underlined the importance of human and cultural contacts to relations between states. Just like during yesterday's meeting with President Kuchma, either of the parties today, too, noted with satisfaction that both the Estonian community in Ukraine and the 36.000 Ukrainians in Estonia were feeling welcome and relaxed.
Speaking about the future of both Estonia and Ukraine, and also about integration into the European Union, President Rüütel said: "While promoting democratic values in society, neither one's strength can be reserved nor the importance of international co-operation underestimated."
Before noon, President Rüütel and Mrs Ingrid Rüütel visited the National Agricultural University of Ukraine. One of the leading universities of Ukraine conferred on the Estonian Head of State its honorary doctorate and, thereafter, President Rüütel before a large audience gave a lecture on the role of agricultural science in the development of Estonian economy.
With that, the programme of President Arnold Rüütel's and Mrs Ingrid Rüütel's state visit in Kiev was concluded and they proceeded by plane to Odessa. Before that, Mrs Ingrid Rüütel in Kiev, in the Gallery of Kiev-Petchorsky Monastery, had opened an exibition of paintings by Mall Nukke. The members of the official delegation accompanying the President had had meetings with their colleagues: Liina Tõnisson with the Ukrainian Minister of Economy, O.Shlapak, Vahur Kraft with the President of the National bank of Ukraine, V.Stelmakh, Harry Hein with the Chairman of the Committee of Border Control, M. Lytvyn, and Andres Keevallik with the Rector of the Technical University of Ukraine, M. Zgurovski.
Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, October 15, 2002
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