A meeting of the Council of Commonwealth of Independent States' foreign affairs ministers was held in Kyiv.
Diplomats considered 13 questions touching upon preparation for the 20th anniversary of the CIS in December, the 70th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War and cooperation in sectors of science, culture and security. According to the Ukrainian Foreign minister Ukraine is currently in the process of joining various CIS bodies and is intensifying its activities in the CIS.
However, the attention was locked on the Ukraine's cooperation with the Customs Union of Belarus-Kazakhstan and Russia that triggered discrepant rumors in the Ukraine society. Ukraine's diplomats confirmed Kyiv's readiness to deal with the Union under the 3+1 format that was earlier voiced by Ukraine's President. Foreign Affairs Minister of the Russian Federation has said this plan will not prevent Ukraine from entering the European Union.
Economists say the year of 2011 is an opportune time for Ukraine to implement the economic reforms.
Both diplomats and experts agree that the Free trade zone agreement with the EU has to be signed ahead of the Customs Union treaty. European officials however predict Ukraine and the EU can round off negotiations no earlier than 2013.
