Ivan Kuhta: Difference of our political orientation will not affect Ukrainian-Armenian relations

Armenia and Ukraine seem to have decided where they will move in their
foreign policies. How do you see Ukrainian-Armenian relations in the light of
new realities?

Judging from official reports, Armenia is going to sign an agreement to
join the Eurasian Economic Union, while in Sept Ukraine’s Supreme Rada is
planning to ratify an association agreement with the European Union. Either
party has its own schedules and obligations to partners – the EU, on the one
side, and the Eurasian Commission, on the other. But this will not affect our
bilateral relations in any way. I have said this many times before and would
like to say it again. Our dialogue is continued on all levels.

What relations the new authorities of Ukraine have with the local
Armenian community, especially after the Crimean events and Armenia’s official
position on them?

Ukraine and Armenia are centuries-old friends. Armenians first came to
Ukraine in the times of Kievan Rus in XI and now live all over the country. In
2001 there were almost 100,000 Armenians in Ukraine. According to informal
statistics, we have over 350,000 citizens of Armenian nationality.

Armenians are widely represented in our government. They have a number
of NGOs (with almost 25 regional offices). Almost all of them are parts of the
Union of Armenians of Ukraine, led by MP Vilen Shatvoryan. The Union’s mission
is to support Ukraine-based Armenians and to preserve and promote Armenian
culture in our country, which is also a priority for our authorities. The
Armenian Apostolic Church has a diocese in Lviv. Two years ago the Kyiv
authorities gave the local Armenian community a land plot so they could build
the biggest Armenian church in Ukraine.

Ukraine takes care of the cultural heritage of the Armenian people.
Quite recently we restore an Armenian church in Kamianets-Podilskyi,
Khmelnitski region.

Armenian regional communities are actively supporting the soldiers
involved in the anti-terrorist operation in Donbass. They are collecting and
sending food and drugs to the east. On Aug 19 the Armenian community of Kyiv
donated blood for the local military hospital. This proves that the Armenians
living in Ukraine are true patriots and love their homeland and its people.

By the end of this year Ukraine is planning to sign a visa facilitation
agreement with the EU. Once you do it, you will have to toughen your migration
laws and perhaps even to impose a visa regime with the CIS and Customs Union
states. Can we expect this to lower migration flow from Armenia and to reduce
contacts between our citizens?

Visa liberalization is stipulated by our Association Agreement with the
EU. In May the European Commission approved the fourth report on visa
liberalization in Ukraine. Thus, we are not implementing the second phase of
relevant action plan: we are harmonizing our laws to European requirements,
introducing biometrics passports and so on.

As soon as we meet all the criteria, the European Commission will
petition the European Parliament and the EU Council to consider visa free
regime for Ukrainians having biometric passports. Expects believe that this may
happen as early as 2015.

This will not however affect the travel regime between Ukraine and
Armenia. And I am sure that the contacts between our citizens will grow.

The next meeting of the Ukrainian-Armenian Intergovernmental Commission
on Trade-Economic Cooperation is scheduled for Oct 2014. When exactly the
meeting will be held and what questions will be discussed?

Our Embassy is organizing this meeting. Today our priority is trade and
economy.

The Commission has a toolkit for answering any questions arising in the
process of our dialogue, while regular meetings are a good opportunity for us
to control the implementation of out agreements.

Generally, our
agenda concerns industry, energy and energy efficiency, agroindustry,
transportation, environment protection, urban development, science and
technologies as well as ways to develop contacts among our regions, to support
SMEs and to enlarge our contractual basis.  

Will the Commission consider a new export-import regime between our
countries now that you have already signed the association agreement and we are
planning to shortly sign the customs agreement?

Yes, of course, this will be one of the key topics of the meeting. Our
new realities imply certain risks for our trade. But the meetings our
government officials and businessmen have had so far were quite optimistic,
especially as we have a free trade agreement.

Ukraine continues to be our second biggest trade-economic partner in the
post-Soviet area. In Jan-June 2014 our trade turnover made up $109.382mln. Do
you expect a growth in this index this year? Or may the difference of our
political orientation curb it?

In Jan-May 2014 our trade turnover made up $76.17mln, which was $4.42mln
or 5.5% less than in Jan-May 2013.

In view of the current tendencies, it is hard to expect a growth in the
second half of this year. But we are trying to encourage Ukrainian exporters to
enlarge their supplies to the Armenian markets. In this light, we have grounds
to expect a certain growth in food supplies from Ukraine.

What is your opinion concerning the current situation in the east of
Ukraine and its possible settlement?

First of all, I would like to point out that Ukraine is an amicable
state. We have always been ready for peaceful negotiations and now too regard
them as the only way to settle the situation.

I am sure you remember that on June 20 President
Poroshenko proposed a peaceful plan of 15 actions to settle the situation in
the eastern region of Ukraine.

Ukraine, the EU and the Eurasian Three (Russia,
Belarus and Kazakhstan) are planning to meet in Minsk on Aug 26 to discuss
questions concerning Ukraine’s steps to meet with association agreement with
the EU, solutions to the problems of energy security and ways to stabilize the
situation in Donbass.

The situation in that region is very complicated. It
cannot be different considering the war imposed on us. The infrastructure of
this industrial region is being purposefully destroyed. The number of victims
and refugees is growing.

Our army is gradually reducing the territory
controlled by fighters. Almost each they are liberating several settlements
bringing them back to normal life. In liberated areas we are reopening public
offices, enterprises and schools, many of which were mined by terrorists. The
fighters are using various vicious methods. They are using civilians are human
shield, bombarding populated areas and then saying that it was the Ukrainian
army, cooperating with corrupt mass media. This is sobering many of the
citizens who initially believe their propaganda. And now they are repenting and
joining the Ukrainian army.

How are the things with Ukrainian
pilot Nadezhda Savchenko?

This case has received wide response all over the world. Ukraine has
repeatedly asked Russia to set her free and to send her back home. But,
unfortunately, our neighbor has shown little understanding in such issues of
late.

We will do our best to bring Savchenko back. Our Embassy is grateful to
the Armenian society and all those concerned about the fate of Nadezhda
Savchenko for their understanding and support.

On Aug 24 Ukraine is marking its Independence Day. What would you like
to say on this occasion?

23 years of independence is a historic moment for Ukraine. I would like
to use this occasion to congratulate all Ukrainian citizens temporarily or
permanently living in Armenia on this holiday and to wish all of us peace and
prosperity!

Thank you, Your Excellency.