Ukraine Has Very Good Chance to Sign EU Association - U.S. Ambassador

KYIV, Ukraine, August 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --



The American Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey R. Pyatt reached such conclusion based on the opinions of the Ukrainian authorities and European colleagues, he told in an interview to radiosvoboda.org. Pyatt also expressed his belief that Europe held the door open for Ukraine. He hopes that Ukraine would go through that door.

Pyatt was impressed by the seriousness Ukrainian authorities paid to the signing of Association Agreement (AA), focusing on the steps toward meeting the European standards. Speaking of conditions, necessary for the November signing of the AA between the EU and Ukraine, American official highlighted the need for the Ukrainian authorities to cooperate with the European community in order to move forward.

The most important step Ukraine could make is take into account the EU's concern regarding the issue of selective justice. Pyatt emphasized that in case of selective justice the U.S. paid attention to the principle, not any particular person. This principle "is very important to the USA as it takes us back to the question of Ukrainian democracy, it is the ground for our strategic cooperation," said Pyatt.

American official expressed support of the Cox-Kwaśniewski monitoring mission in Ukraine. The mission focuses on the selective justice instances in the country.

Ambassador Pyatt has previously stated his support of the AA signing at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius, taking place in November 2013. "The first [priority] is advancing Ukraine's European choice, advancing the wish of Ukrainian people to move toward institutional Europe," he told radiosvoboda.org in the beginning of August 2013.

Notably, in July 2013, Ukrainian foreign minister Leonid Kozhara informed that the country would be ready to sign AA with Europe by September, reported Interfax. Approximately 95 percent of the tasks foreseen by the respective action plan have already been fulfilled. The remaining issues include legislative changes regarding prosecution, elections, and anticorruption legislation implementation.

Another issue that Ukrainian parliament will have to resolve in the face of the AA signing is the adoption of the anti-discrimination law. While the law is not directly required for the signing, it is necessary for furthering the ongoing dialogue on the visa liberalization between Ukraine and the EU, said the official.