Ukraine’s Foreign Minister spoke at the UN Security Council
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ODERN SECURITY challenges require more pragmatic, effective and result-oriented cooperation between the OSCE and the UN, said Ukraine’s Foreign Minister/OSCE Chairman-in-Office Leonid Kozhara at the UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday, May 7. “The UN is the OSCE’s principal partner organization. As security challenges continue to evolve, the nature of OSCE-UN cooperation has to become more pragmatic, effective and resultoriented,” the diplomat emphasized. He noted that a number of Ukraine’s Chairmanship priorities
coincide with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s Five Year Action Agenda. “This is especially true regarding early warning and early action in preventing violent conflicts, building a safer and more secure world and supporting nations in transition,” he said. Kozhara assured that the OSCE is a strong partner of the UN in promoting international peace and security in its area. He recalled that the Ukrainian Chairmanship has prioritized achieving progress in finding sustainable and lasting solutions to frozen conflicts in the region, including Transnistria, Nagorno-Karabakh, in
Georgia and in South-East Europe (between Belgrade and Pristina). The OSCE Chairman-in-Office also drew attention to the cooperation with the UN in the field of disarmament, the fight against drug trafficking and transnational crime, including human trafficking. Speaking of economic priorities, Kozhara focused on the large potential of the OSCE’s cooperation with the UN in the development of new trade and transport corridors. “We look forward to even closer cooperation with the UN and count on your full support in the months ahead,” Minister concluded.
also in this issue:
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara to visit UK Page 2
Zlata Ognevich will represent Ukraine at the Eurovision 2013
Ukraine launches project to develop natural gas storage Page 3
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Ukraine Digest, Thursday, May 9, 2013
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foreign affairs
UN Secretary-General:
Ukraine’s OSCE Chairmanship confirms its role in European region
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N SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday discussed European security issues with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara, who also chairs the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). “They discussed the main
priorities of Ukraine’s OSCE chairmanship, focusing in particular on efforts to address Europe’s protracted conflicts,” UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters after the meeting. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon considers that the first steps of the Ukrainian Chairmanship of the OSCE have confirmed the
importance of the country’s role on the international arena and in the European region. In addition, Ban Ki-moon again noted Ukraine’s contribution to global nuclear security and disarmament and praised Kyiv’s peacekeeping efforts. At the meeting the UN chief expressed his apprecia-
tion for Ukraine’s valuable role in UN peace operations and encouraged Ukraine to continue and further strengthen its support in this regard. The sides also exchanged views on expanding UNUkrainian partnership, including on issues of human rights, health and nuclear security.
upcoming event
AP Interview: Ukraine’s Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara Foreign Minister expects to visit United Kingdom country to sign cooperation agreement with EU On Monday May 13, 2013 Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara visits London.
In the course of his visit Leonid Kozhara will meet William Hague, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs as well as the representatives of the Parliament of Great Britain. Leonid Kozhara will discuss the steps the Ukrainian Government is prepared to take to ensure further integration with Europe in his speech at the Chatam House. He will comment on the likelihood of signing an EU Association Agreement in November, and how this process could impact relations with Russia. He will also share the priorities of Ukraine’s OSCE chairmanship in 2013.
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KRAINE’S Foreign Minister says he expects his country will sign a cooperation agreement with the European Union later this year despite the EU’s objections to the jailing of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Leonid Kozhara said in an interview Tuesday evening with The Associated Press that the Tymoshenko case is a problem in relations between Ukraine and the EU but he said a single criminal case shouldn’t be an obstacle
to Ukraine signing an association agreement with the EU. Kozhara says the government expects the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, to make a positive recommendation on an association agreement for Ukraine when it meets on May 15. That recommendation will go to the European Council, which comprises the 27 EU heads of state and government, for a final decision. For the full interview go to Ukraine Digest web-site
www.ukremb.org.uk
Ukraine Digest, Thursday, May 9, 2013
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enegry
Ukraine to receive European gas using another new reverse route
Ukraine launches project to develop natural gas storage
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ECHNICAL STUDY of the investment project for increasing the storage capacity of Ukrainian gas deposits will be completed in the near future. This was stated by Minister of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine Eduard Stavytsky following the high-level international round table in Brussels on the Ukrainian gas market. “In carrying out the investment project, which we have almost agreed technically, we will reach a storage capacity of 50 billion cubic meters,” the min-
ister said, noting that the Ukrainian side hopes for support of the European Commission in this matter. Eduard Stavytsky reminded that today Ukrainian gas storage facilities have the capacity volume of 31 billion cubic meters. The minister said that modernization and development of the Ukrainian gas storage facilities is part of the process to create in Ukraine a central European hub, which would transport gas in the region in different modes, as well as provide its storage.
UKRAINE will receive European gas via one more reverse route via Slovakia, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Eduard Stavytsky has said. “I asked support from European Commissioner [Gunther Oettinger] to open a new reserve corridor via the territory of Slovakia. On May 15 the test mode will be launched and test data exchange on the new reverse route from Ukraine to Ukraine and from Ukraine to EU will be conducted,” the minister said on Thursday in Brussels at a press conference held during the two-day international high level roundtable on the Ukrainian gas market. Eduard Stavytsky, Ukraine’s Energy & Coal Industry Minister
He added that Ukraine is waiting for the realization of the first phase of modernization of the Ukrainian gas transport system. “The sum is $550 million, including $240 million of national jointstock company Naftogaz Ukrainy’s funds and $310 million of funds of international financial institutions,” Stavytsky said.
Energy willow to be planted on over 5,000 hectares in Rivne region
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ROWING of willow for energy started in the northern provinces of Rivne region, where there is a lot of unproductive land. Permits were issued for the development of more than 5,000 hectares of land,
Ukrinform learned from the State Agency of Land Resources. “Energy willow over time can become an alternative to gas, coal and peat. A thermal power station will open in Rivne for its processing. This is one of the possible ways to use
plots that are not processed, so our priority today is to reduce the amount of unproductive land,” Svitlana Bohatyrchuk-Kryvko, head of the land agency’s department in Rivne region, noted at the meeting. In Ukraine, energy willow was planted in Ivano-
Frankivsk, Volyn, Lviv, Ternopil and Rivne regions. In the EU, the use of energy crops is especially popular. In Denmark, willow is grown only on 500 hectares of agricultural land, while in Sweden willow plantations account for up to 20,000 hectares. www.ukremb.org.uk
Ukraine Digest, Thursday, May 9, 2013
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automotive industry
Automobile cluster will be set up in Ukraine The main aim of the project is to strengthen a position of small and medium suppliers of automobile components in order that they could meet requirements of both national and foreign producers of vehicles
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HE AUTOMOBILE cluster will be set up in Ukraine - a group of related companies concentrated on a certain territory, which will add and strengthen each other’s competitive advantages. The pilot project will be realized in Zaporizhzhia region. Currently, preparatory work continues over the project of the UNIDO Program of business cooperation. This is the UNIDO’s first branch project in Ukraine designated for three years. During the meetings with representatives of Ukrainian automobile
enterprises, the international mission recognized Zaporizhzhia region as the region, where a pilot project should be realized to create the automobile cluster in Ukraine. UNIDO experts singled out availability of qualified specialists as Zaporizhzhia’s strong side, high concentration of industrial enterprises, including enterprises related to the automobile industry, and the developed infrastructure. The experts also familiarized with Kirovohrad region’s potential. The Economic Development and
Trade Ministry is convinced that the project realization will promote raising competitiveness of production and growth of the personnel’s qualification, who are engaged in the automobile industry, create a perspective of integration of Ukrainian producers into the networks of supply for transnational companies. This is especially important, taking into consideration European integration aspirations of Ukraine. In June-July, two seminars will be held in Ukraine, where UNIDO recommendations will be presented on creation and development of the automobile cluster in Zaporizhzhia region. This project jointly with protective measures adopted in Ukraine, as well as realization of the industry development program on the whole and the automobile industry in particular, will be a powerful signal to foreign investors about new competitive possibilities of the Ukrainian industry.
agriculture
Ukraine to increase food supply under WFP projects
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KRAINE is studying the possibility of increasing the supply of food under the World Food Program (WFP). This was considered at a meeting in Rome by Agricultural Policy and Food Minister of Ukraine Mykola Prysiazhniuk and Executive Director of the World Food Program Ertharin Cousin. “In particular, the parties discussed the possibility
of increased supplies of Ukrainian food within the WFP projects, which, in the opinion of the parties, is quite logical in view of the global recognition of Ukraine as a major exporter of agricultural products. Cousin showed interest in the Ukrainian agriculture minister’s proposal on the need to further develop the system of monitoring food reserves in provider countries, as well as on the need to establish a grain reserve
mechanism, which would make it possible to respond more quickly to the urgent needs of WFP member countries for food, arising due to economic challenges and natural disasters,” the ministry informs. In addition, the sides noted the political and practical value that the program could gain from Ukraine’s joining the WFP Executive Board, and agreed on the need for the simultaneous activation
of humanitarian work of Ukraine as a donor of food, including on joint donation terms. The WFP Executive Director welcomed the invitation of the Ukrainian agriculture minister to visit this country, as well as the proposal on the participation of program representatives in international agricultural forums held annually by the Ministry of Agricultural Policy and Food of Ukraine. www.ukremb.org.uk
Ukraine Digest, Thursday, May 9, 2013
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eurovision 2013
Zlata tells a Ukrainian fairytale Zlata Ognevich will represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013. Zlata will perform the song Gravity in the First Semi Final on Tuesday May 14th. “Gravity is about throwing off shackles and believing in wonders,” says Zlata about her entry.
I
f you talk about this year’s Ukrainian representative in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest, you automatically think of a butterfly. In her first rehearsal, Zlata Ognevich has not only transmitted the feelings of lightness and fairytale, the singer was herself a tiny butterfly carried out on stage by a giant. During the Ukrainian first rehearsal, the fairytale forest with butterflies and warm sunrises is shown on the projectors. Zlata not only impressed with her strong voice but also told a fairytale that inspired her to fulfil her dreams. In the beginning of Zlata’s performance, the giant entered the stage. He carried Zlata to the “magic circle” in the middle on the stage. The name of the giant is Igor Vovkovynski. He lives in America but originally Ukrainian. The giant is 2.42 metres tall and has size 62 shoes. The Ukrainian singer wore a long beige dress that perfectly matched the light settings on the stage. She was accompanied by three female and one male backing vocalists dressed in black. The male vocalist, Cleveland Watkiss, has one of the best jazz voices in the world and is called a jazz legend. All four backing vocalists admire Zlata as a person and as a singer and compare her voice to voice of Celine Dion.
Zlata Ognevich is a very beloved celebrity in Ukraine. She is no stranger in the Eurovision Song Contest. Her first attempt was in 2010 where she finished fifth in the Ukrainian national final. Last year, Zlata took part in the Ukrainian national selection with her unique entry The Kukushka but came second. This year, Zlata will have the honour to sing for her country in Malmö.
Zlata works closely with Mikhail Nekrasov who is the author of all her songs. In 2004 he was the arranger of Ruslana’s winning entry. Nekrasov says that Zlata has one of the most unique voices he has ever heard. Watch out for number 7 in the First Semi-Final and welcome Gravity by Zlata Ognevich!
For more information, please, contact Oksana Kyzyma, Press Secretary of the Embassy of Ukraine to the UK
Tel.: 020 7727 6312 E-mail: press@ukremb.org.uk Address: 60 Holland Park, London W11 3SJ
Issue #10, May 9, 2013 In the preparation of this issue materials of UKRINFORM, eurovision.tv, ForUm were used