"Certainly, it is important to have active Ukrainian-Russian relations. This corresponds with national interests", he said.
However, the President said, Ukraine stands for mutual respect of our two countries to one another, building equal relations, including trade, and against the "policy of constraints" it faces today.
In this context, Victor Yushchenko pointed to a number of unresolved issues, particularly creation of a free trade zone. "We're sorry that since the establishment of the CIS only 4% of the reached agreements within its framework have been actually implemented... We support pragmatism in our relations. But pragmatism means that we must form primarily the modern market economic relations, which should of course be based on a free trade zone ", said Victor Yushchenko.
Separately he pointed to the need to form a new customs policy. "Customs economic border should not be a blood clot in the channel of exchange of goods, services or investment", he said.
Ukraine also constantly stresses the importance of consistent, and later single tariff policy, the President said, "so that it was not used today as a form of pressure on the organization transit trade flows".
"We oppose any restrictions in the area of goods, services, investment and labor trade", noted the President.
"We of course expect that our partners adequately approach realization of our common opportunities. So once again I, as the President, address the President of Russia and Russian authorities with a call to enhance our dialogue, our relations, to stop involving politics in these relations as it has happened a few weeks ago ... when simply wiredrawn questions were raised only to raise the temperature of negativism in our relations", said Victor Yushchenko.
