Ukraine’s
New FM Prioritizes Contacts with Russia, U.S.
KIEV (RIA
Novosti) — Ukraine’s newly appointed foreign minister
said Russia and the U.S. are key partners for his
country.
Parliament
approved President Viktor Yushchenko’s nominee for foreign
minister earlier.
Arseniy Yatsenyuk,
the former economics minister, received 426 votes from Supreme
Rada deputies.
"Russia
is an extremely important partner for us. Close contacts with
Russia will be maintained," he said, adding that Ukraine’s
foreign policy in dealing with such a great country should
be predictable.
He also said
the Ukrainian-U.S. dialogue should be preserved.
"The
level of dialogue should be maintained. Ukrainian foreign policy
will not shun such global issues as terror, nuclear proliferation
or global warming, and we will continue to support democratic
values," Yatsenyuk said.
He said EU
membership is not an end in itself for Ukraine, adding that
the real objectives are European values and reforms.