On August 24, 1991, the Supreme Rada (Parliament) of Ukraine passed an Act of Independence of Ukraine. Below is an interview given to NEWS.am by Ukrainian Ambassador to Armenia Alexander Bozhko.

Question: Mr. Ambassador, first of all we would like to congratulate you on the holiday. What has changed in the South Caucasus, particularly for Armenia, since the hostilities in August, 2008?

Answer: Thank you for your congratulations and an opportunity to share my opinion with your readers.

Historical evidence is that wars do not resolve problems. Rather, they delay solutions, and it is the children and grandchildren of those unleashing wars that often have to find peaceful solutions…

No doubt, the five-day war worsened the situation both for the entire South Caucasus and for each of the countries in the region and the international community, which now has one more headache. As regards Armenia, I share Armenian experts’ opinion that the war once more showed Armenia’s vulnerability – first of all in terms of transport communication.

Question: What are Ukraine’s interests in this region, as well as the place of its relations with Armenia in the context of these interests?

Answer: The South Caucasus is one of Ukraine’s foreign policy priorities both within the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC) and at the bilateral level. It is natural, we understand each other quite well, have common historical past, though we can show different attitudes to it.

From the practical aspect, economic relations are our top priority. Look, before the crisis we registered steady positive dynamics in Ukrainian-Armenian trade. Last year the bilateral trade turnover exceeded U.S. $300mln. In terms of total trade turnover, Ukraine was Armenia’s fourth largest partner after Russia, Germany and China, and the second largest partner in terms of imports. Armenia is known to conduct foreign trade operations by means of Ukraine to a considerable extent. The Ukrainian shipping company Ukrferry is a traditional partner of Armenian forwarding companies. One more foreign trade route was opened this March: a new terminal was opened at the port of Kerch, which will save much time for Armenian export-import operations.

That is Ukraine’s presence in S. Caucasian region is mutually beneficial. It is noteworthy that much more Armenian brandy, the main Armenian export commodity, is sold in Ukraine, than in Armenia.

With a view to further development of interregional cooperation and execution of previously signed agreements, the Ukrainian Embassy in Armenia is working at arranging the visits of delegations from different Ukrainian regions. Specifically, this autumn we expect a delegation of the Kharkov region led by Arsen Avakov to visit Armenia.

We are also developing a bilateral political dialogue. In this context, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to the Crimea last July was an important event. The Armenian leader participated in the celebrations of the 650th anniversary of the Armenian monastery Surb Khach (Holy Cross). During the high Armenian delegation’s visit to the Crimea, Ukrainian and Armenian Presidents, Victor Yuschenko and Serzh Sargsyan held a meeting. The two leaders set the priorities of the short-term bilateral agenda.

I would like to point out the Ukrainian-Armenian cooperation within international organizations last year. Specifically, on our joint initiative, the OSCE Foreign Ministers’ Council approved a Declaration on the 60th anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Our countries are actively cooperating under the Eastern Partnership program.

Finally, last November, in Odessa, the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Armenian Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs signed a cultural cooperation program for 2008-2012. The program provides for the holding of Days of Armenian Culture in Ukraine, Days of Ukrainian Culture in Armenia, as well as for a number of other activities and a more active cultural dialogue. We are really lacking it.

This year the Ukrainian-Armenian Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation is to meet in Yerevan. I hope the Commission members will not only analyze the state of the bilateral trade and economic relations for the previous period, but also exchange their views on the ways out of the global crisis for our economies.

Question: The Madrid Principles of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement provide for a peace-making operation in the region. Does Kiev intend to apply for participation in the peace-making format?

Answer: Ukraine has a many years’ experience in different peace-making missions. If Ukraine receives such a proposal, it will thoroughly consider it.

As far as I know, the Madrid Principles is a draft document. I has not yet been accepted by the sides or taken effect. So it is obviously too early to speak of its practical application. I think when the “principles” turn into an “agreement”, the issue of inviting peace-makers and that of particular countries will be considered.

Question: What is Ukraine’s position on the of Armenia-Turkey normalization?

Answer: Ukraine’s official position was voiced by the Head of the Press Service of the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Armenian Ministry issued a joint statement on April 22, 2009.

Specifically, the document says that the sides “have been working intensively with a view to normalizing their bilateral relations and developing them in a spirit of good-neighborliness, and mutual respect, and thus to promoting peace, security and stability in the whole region.”

The Ukrainian Foreign Office also expressed hope that the practical steps to implement the statement will be crowned with success for peace and prosperity of both nations and of the fentire region.

On my part I would like to add that historic processes are going on in the South Caucasus now. The normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are of paramount importance not only for political stability in the region, but also for the two economies. So we are sincerely interested in progress in both the negotiating processes, as well as in further prosperity of friendly Armenia.

Question: Under agreements with Kiev, Russia is going to transfer its Black Sea fleet from the Crimea to Abkhazia. What impact will it have on the situation in the South Caucasus?

Answer: Indeed, under intergovernmental documents, the Black Sea fleet of Russia is to remain in Ukraine until 2017.

I would like to note that Article 17 of the Constitution of Ukraine prohibits the deployment of foreign military bases in the country. But our state remains faithful to its international commitments (temporary deployment of the Russian Black Sea fleet in Ukraine until May 28, 2017) and fully meets the relevant agreements of 1997.

As regards the fate of the fleet, it is Russia’s internal affair, as you can understand.