Sikorski: Ukraine has to reform its economy in order to get EU aid, PAP dispatch
"Potentially Ukraine can benefit from huge funds offered by the International Monetary Fund, the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and macroeconomic support from the European Commission. But Ukraine has to begin to reform itself. There will be no money for Ukraine, unless it starts to reform its economy, „said Sikorski, when asked by journalists about a possible aid package for the crisis-torn Ukraine.
Catherine Ashton, the EU chief diplomat, said that preliminary work has started on an international aid package to help Ukraine meet its most pressing needs, cautioning that EU’s assistance was conditional on a peaceful resolution of the political crisis in that country and the start of reforms. On Monday, she reiterated that the EU was prepared to offer economic assistance to Ukraine conditional on reforms. "We are in contact with many countries and institutions on this issue," said Ashton.
The EU offered Ukraine an aid package last year amounting to euro 610 million to meet the terms necessary to obtain a 15-billion-dollar IMF loan. The Kyiv authorities spurned the pact with the EU, saying it was not enough. In November 2013, the Ukrainian government suspended preparations to sign the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, supposedly fearing worsening trade relations with Russia, which threatened Ukraine with sanctions. Shortly afterwards, Kyiv made a deal with Moscow for a 15-billion-dollar loan and gas price reductions. This government decision caused protests in Ukraine, leading to street clashes and the current political crisis.
According to Sikorski, the situation in Ukraine is a "failure of Victor Yanukovych’s leadership,” who opted for short-term benefits, instead of an agreement that would bring long-term profitsto the whole country. Had Yanukovych acted otherwise, he “would be standing at the helm of a united country today, fending off pressure from abroad that others had experienced and coped with successfully," concluded Sikorski. In his opinion, the EU would also help Ukraine fight a possible Russian trade boycott. "Ukraine could try and sell their products on other markets. Meanwhile it did not even complain to the World Trade Organisation about Russian threats,” added the minister ata panel discussion organised by the European Council for Foreign Relations, aBrussels-based think tank.
He admitted that he did not believe the EU could raise additional money for Ukraine, besides what it has already offered.
At the EU foreign ministers’ meeting on Monday, Sikorski plans to call on the EU to provide better support for Georgia and Moldova that are planning to sign Association Agreements with the EU. In a non-paper submitted to EU foreign ministers, Poland suggested better that the EU should better utilise its Eastern Partnership funds so that countries which have carried out more reforms could count on more support. "There are more funds (to utilise - PAP), because Ukraine is delaying with the signing of the agreement. Hence, I will be advocating more support from the EU budget to those Eastern Partnership countries that are trying harder, according to the ‘more for more,’principle" said the minister.
In turn, a document drafted on Sweden’s initiative and signed by 12 other EU counties, including Poland, suggests that the EU should pay more attention to Georgia and Moldova, especially in light of possibly stronger Russian pressure on these countries. It suggests, among others, an information campaign in those countries as a reaction to the spread of rumours about the consequences of an association with the EU. The document also suggests that senior EU and Member States representatives should pay more visits to Georgia and Moldova.
Anna Widzyk (PAP) from Brussels
http://www.msz.gov.pl/en/
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