To Brussels Via Athens
The visit of Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Anatoly Zlenko to Greece occurred more than six months before that country is scheduled to chair the European Union. Greek Republic officials have long been saying they will try “to leave the EU door open” to Ukraine during their chairmanship. Enthusiastically welcoming such statements, Kyiv, striving to gain associate membership by 2004, would like, however, to hear something more specific right now. And, taking into account that Denmark, to be the EU chair before Greece, is closing its embassy in Kyiv, it is not worth putting off negotiations with the potential lobbyists of our interests in Brussels. In addition, stable partnership between Greece and Ukraine has many other aspects, in addition to European integration, that need new impulses.
Discussing with Mr. Zlenko the prospects of relations between Ukraine and the EU, President of the Greek Republic Constantinos Stephanopoulos added nothing new to what Greek diplomats had said earlier. Pres. Stephanopoulos is sure that Ukraine as a European state can count on European Union membership if it fulfills all the conditions set for candidate members, Interfax-Ukraine reports. The Greek president pointed out the ever-growing role of Ukraine as an important player in the Eastern European region. Mr. Stephanopoulos also said Athens welcomes Ukraine’s aspiration for a closer dialogue with NATO. The North Atlantic alliance, the Greek president thinks, is today being transformed into a predominantly political organization that guarantees peace and stability. The Ukrainian foreign minister suggested establishing an interdepartmental Ukrainian-Greek commission on military-technical cooperation.
Kyiv is now expecting more concrete statements of the Greek leadership during President Leonid Kuchma’s visit to Athens slated for September.
Conversely, Greek businessmen dealing with Ukraine have quite clearly spelt out their complaints against our state and named the obstacles that stand in the way of more intensive activities. As Constantinos Michalos, secretary general of the Greek Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, these are absence of regular maritime communication between Ukraine and Greece, Ukrainian red tape, and high import duties on Greek goods. Moreover, Mr. Michalos thinks that “a not very clear situation with land privatization in Ukraine” is one of the main things that impede the development of Ukrainian- Greek cooperation, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
However, Greek businessmen still try to work in Ukraine in spite of all these difficulties. Prominent ship-owner Anastasis Laskaridis, to whose order ships are being built in Mykolayiv, told Mr. Zlenko he was prepared to continue investing in the Ukrainian economy. What Mr. Laskaridis considers as guarantee for the success of his investments is the president of Ukraine, a stable political situation and a low inflation rate in this country, sustainable economic growth, and a powerful industrial, scientific, and technical potential.
In his turn, Mr. Zlenko did not forget about the interests of the Ukrainians who want to earn money in Greece. He discussed the possibility of setting up joint Ukrainian-Greek building consortiums to get Athens ready for the 2004 summer Olympics. The Ukrainian foreign minister also advanced a proposal to put employment of Ukrainian sailors on Greek vessels on a sound legal basis and speed up the signing of an agreement whereby Greece would recognize the diplomas and certificates of Ukrainian sailors. Also high on the agenda was the plight of Ukrainian workers in Greece and the likely conclusion of an agreement on employment and social security.
