ISLAMABAD, Jan 31 (APP): Sports and cultural contacts are the
best way and provide excellent opportunities to the people of
Pakistan and Ukraine to better know each other.
Talking to APP here on Tuesday, the Ambassador of Ukraine in
Pakistan Volodymyr Lakomov, he said that Ukraine and Pakistan in
process of negotiating the draft agreement of cooperation in the
humanitarian areas and cultural exchanges.
Hopefully the agreement would be finalised this year and both countries are going to more strong relationship with each other, he said.
To a question he said that “We are happy that our athletes
were quite successful in important international alpine ski
completion in Malam Jabba. Beside strengthening contacts between
professional athletes, we hope that this event would open new
Pakistani resorts for amateur skiers and tourists from Ukraine and
other countries”.
He said “In my opinion, northern areas of Pakistan possess
great recreational potential and could provide skiers from all over
the world unique chance to enjoy marvelous new skiing environment
for a pleasure and best sports’ achievements”.
To a question the envoy said that Ukraine has made more
Progress in tackling corruption and reforming government
institutions in the last two and a half years since the Revolution
of Dignity than it did in the previous 23 years since Independence
was declared in 1991.
The challenge for Ukraine has probably been greater than
for any other country. It is building a modern functioning
democratic nation from a starting point of being the most embedded
state in the former and now defunct Soviet Union. And in the last
two and a half years when it has made most progress it has had to
fight a war with Russia and its proxies in the east while at the
same time losing the Crimea to illegal annexation.
This progress would not have been possible without the
support of Ukraine’s partners, in particular in North America and
Europe as well as the hard work and sacrifice of the Ukrainian
people and Civil Society at home.
The people of Ukraine in partnership with their government
have made a clear decision to be part of a forward looking democratic Europe. In so doing they have embraced the values of the people of Europe and moved away from those of the Russian federation.
Ukraine embraces European ideals and values because it is
clear that so doing is the best way to ensure a future defined by
freedom and a better quality of life, standard of living and
ultimately prosperity for all of its people.
The Ukraine progress is leading to the country being an increasingly attractive investment prospect for foreign businesses and also an increasingly attractive place to visit for foreign tourists – tourism and economic investment being critical to the countries future prosperity.
To a question about the current situation of Ukraine he said
“In fighting Russian aggression Ukraine is not only defending a way
of life that is not only dear to Ukrainians but to all Europeans”.
Ukraine is truly in the frontline of a Russian sponsored
Hybrid War that threatens not only Ukraine but increasingly
interferes with and seeks to undermine the democratic processes of
other Western democracies, he added.
Ukraine is preparing amendments to its National
Environmental Strategy until 2020 and a National Environmental
Action Plan.
Ukraine has, under difficult circumstances, fulfilled all
144 points of the Visa Liberalization Plan and therefore fulfil the
criteria for visa-free travel as determined by the EU.
The support of the international community has been crucial
to the country making progress in many areas. Ukraine is seeking to
follow the European standards on the rule of law, and free,
democratic life.
Visa-free regime is important for the stability of Ukraine to
ensure continued domestic support for its European course because
the wider civil society movement has been and will remain absolutely
central to the progress that Ukraine is making.
More than 60 partner countries buy military equipment,
produced by “UkrOboronProm” in 2016.

AAP Pakistan,