Ukraine, RF cooperation depends on political will of leaders -view.

ZAVIDOVO /Moscow Region/, September 17 (Itar-Tass) -- Interregional
cooperation between the Ukrainian and Russian sides depends on political
will of the two leaders, Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovich said over
his meeting with Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday.
"Outstanding issues do exist, but they depend on our political will,"
he said. "We need to prove our intention to be firm."
Yanukovich expressed hope that the process of settling interregional
cooperation matters would move forward.
He named an issue of those who live in bordering territories as one of
the problems to be discussed.
"The bureaucracy we have would not let those people live and contact
normally," he said.
Medvedev pointed out that Friday was a big Russian-Ukrainian day and
expressed hope that the day was appreciated not only by the two
presidents, but by thousands of spectators who watched the auto rally and
"showed their most sincere emotions."
"Russia and Ukraine should be friends and should have most close and
tight strategic relations," Medvedev said.
Over the meeting, the sides discussed trans-border cooperation, he
said, and assured that the discussions of interregional cooperation would
be continued over the meeting in Gelendzhik /Russia/ very soon.
Russia and Ukraine will discuss regional projects and ways to activate
the trade turnover as well as cultural and social aspects of cooperation,
Medvedev said.
The discussions in Gelendzhik will become "a good prelude" to the
intergovernmental consultations due in November, the presidents confirmed.


.Putin to speak over Trade Unions Federation meeting Saturday.

MOSCOW, September 18 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir
Putin will speak at the grand meeting of Federation of Independent Trade
Unions of Russia's General Council, which will be devoted to the 20th
anniversary of the Federation, the governmental press service said on
Saturday.
The organisation will report its activities and discuss how to improve
the social partnership between the state, trade unions and employers,
including matters of labour legislation, implementation of international
norms of labour protection, and the development of social guarantees.
The Federation was organised back in 1990. Presently, it unites 49
national trade unions and their 25 million members - about 95 percent of
all trade union members in the country. Trade unions have 79 local
organisations, which are members of the Federation.
The Federation plays a leading role in the activities of trade union's
trilateral commission on settlement of social and labour relations, where
trade unions, employers and the government adopt general agreements.
The grand meeting on Saturday will feature Speaker of the State Duma
Boris Gryzlov, President of Russia's Union of Industrialists and
Entrepreneurs Alexander Shokhin, and representatives of regional and
industry trade union organisations.


.Ukraine may suggest organising joint ventures with Russia.

ZAVIDOVO /Moscow Region/, September 18 (Itar-Tass) -- Ukraine is ready
to suggest to Russia organising several joint ventures in various sectors,
Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovich said over a meeting with Russia's
President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday.
"I hear from co-chairs of the governmental commissions that there are
many suggestions on organising joint ventures in various sectors,"
Yanukovich said.
The two countries will have to prepare some serious decisions for that
purpose, he added.
"We are ready," Yanukovich assured.
He explained that the economies of the two countries add to each other
and mentioned that the trade turnover had grown by 70 percent over the
first six months of the current year.
"This is true for export and import both ways and the total amount
makes about 20 billion dollars," Yanukovich said, mentioning he was not
sure how Russia calculated turnover.
"Certain discrepancies do exist," Medvedev said and expressed
confidence the customs authorities should verify their approaches.
Yanukovich thanked Medvedev for the efforts to "remove many barriers
in trade between our countries."
"We have made major political decisions, and the officials realise
that the gates should be unlocked," Yanukovich said. "There was time, when
the gates were used for different purposes, but this time is over now, and
I would not speak about it a lot."
He commented on the meeting of the two presidents, saying that the
priorities set should be verified within two weeks, before the upcoming
forum in Genendzhik /Russia/.
Yanukovich informed that Ukraine would get prepared for the
intergovernmental commission due in late November in Russia.

-0-kar


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