Japan-Ukraine Foreign Ministers' Meeting

January 18, 2011
Japanese

On January 18 (Tue), from shortly after 3:00 p.m. for about 40 minutes, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Seiji Maehara held a Japan-Ukraine foreign ministers' meeting with Mr. Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, who was accompanying President of Ukraine H.E. Mr. Viktor Yanukovych on his Official Working Visit to Japan. The overview of the meeting is as follows.

Bilateral Economic Relations
(1)Foreign Minister Gryshchenko noted that Ukraine's political situation has been stabilizing and that the environment has been created to enable Japanese companies to consider long-term investment in Ukraine. He expressed his hope that the President's visit to Japan would help foster Japan-Ukraine relations on a variety of fronts, including politics and economics.

(2)Minister Maehara responded that Japan wishes to strengthen its cooperation with Ukraine, a country with high growth potential. To this end, both ministers agreed to launch negotiations on concluding an investment treaty and to promote the improvement of the investment environment in Ukraine.

(3)Foreign Minister Gryshchenko stated that Ukraine's high potential in the agricultural sector was vital not only for commercial reasons, but also from the standpoint of the growing world population and assistance to Africa. In response, Minister Maehara said that ensuring multiple supplies of food was one of the pillars of the economic diplomacy promoted by himself, and that he would like to proceed with considerations to promote Japanese agricultural investment which may lead to the expansion of agricultural production in Ukraine.

(4)With respect to cooperation through the Green Investment Scheme (GIS) mechanism based on the Kyoto Protocol, Minister Maehara requested the appropriate management of funds provided by Japan, and expressed his hopes for early implementation of environment projects which utilize Japan's advanced technology. In response, Foreign Minister Gryshchenko stated that Ukraine intends to continue and enhance the cooperation through GIS.
Bilateral Dialogue and Cooperation
(1)Both ministers appreciated the role the Ukraine-Japan Centre has been fulfilling, and agreed to cooperate on making the Centre a central part of the bilateral cooperation.

(2)Both ministers concurred to work closely to hold a meeting of the Japan-Ukraine Cooperation Committee at the Foreign Ministers' level in 2011, aimed at further enhancing their bilateral relations.
Cooperation on Global Issues
(1)Foreign Minister Gryshchenko praised Japan's contributions in the areas of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, including the cooperation on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation led by Japan and Australia. Minister Maehara praised Ukraine for shipping a significant portion of its highly-enriched uranium out of the country at the end of last year. Both ministers agreed to bolster cooperation in the areas of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

(2)Both ministers also agreed to closely cooperate on the reform of the United Nations Security Council and other issues.

(END)

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