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H.E. Mr. Viktor Yanukovych, the President of Ukraine, and H.E. Mr. Naoto Kan, the Prime Minister of Japan, held their summit meeting on 18 January 2011, during the first official visit to Japan of President Yanukovych, at the invitation of the Government of Japan.
The two leaders discussed the current situation and prospects of bilateral relations and exchanged views on global issues, giving special emphasis on the importance of fundamental values such as democracy, freedom, rule of law and human rights.
They confirmed their commitments to advance bilateral ties in order to utilize to a full extent their potential in the context of celebrating in 2012 the 20th anniversary of establishment of the diplomatic relations, and to enhance cooperation in jointly tackling the global challenges.
At the conclusion of the extensive friendly talks, the two leaders issued the following Joint Statement.
- The leaders of Ukraine and Japan paid particular attention to the potential of further bilateral cooperation in the economic sphere, emphasizing the potential of Ukraine, with its population of 46 million people. They fully shared the view that concrete measures should be taken to strengthen economic relations.
With this aim the two leaders welcomed exchange of visits of high-level business missions in 2011. During the visit of the Ukrainian business mission to Tokyo which accompanies President Yanukovych, a meeting with Nippon Keidanren was held and a business seminar will be organized.
Nippon Keidanren mission is to visit Kyiv in March 2011 to hold the 3rd Joint Meeting between the Coordinating Council for Economic Cooperation with Japan under the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine and the Committee on Ukraine of Nippon Keidanren.
- The two leaders recognized the necessity to continue tackling the global economic crisis in order to achieve strong, sustainable and balanced global growth. President Yanukovych expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Kan for the contribution of 100 billion dollars to the International Monetary Fund, which was utilized, inter alia, for assisting Ukraine in July 2009 as well as for Japan's recent decision to send a Japanese financial expert to Ukraine. They praised the signing of a Bank Loan, amounting up to 8 billion Japanese Yen to be extended by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), the international arm of Japan Finance Corporation to the Joint Stock Company State Export-Import Bank of Ukraine, with a view to promoting exports of goods and services from Japan and contributing to the economic development of Ukraine.
- The two leaders reaffirmed their intention to strictly observe the WTO rules and commitments and to oppose protectionism. They shared the willingness to work together towards early conclusion of the Doha Development Agenda, which should be ambitious and balanced in its content and would bolster multilateral trade system.
- The two leaders welcomed the interest of private sectors in both countries towards broadening economic relations and decided to launch in 2011 the negotiations with a view to concluding the bilateral treaty aimed at mutual promotion and protection of investments.
They shared the view that further improvement of the investment environment of Ukraine, such as accelerating the relevant administrative procedures as well as increasing transparency and predictability in the investment environment would promote the foreign investments inflow. Prime Minister Kan offered to send a Japanese investment expert to support Ukraine's efforts.
President Yanukovych mentioned the introduction of the corporate tax incentives for investments into specific sectors from January 2011 and expressed special interest of the Ukrainian side to attract Japanese investments in such sectors as coal-mining and metallurgy.
- President Yanukovych highly appreciated the progress made in implementing the first Yen Loan project in Ukraine - "Boryspil State International Airport Development Project". The two leaders recognized the importance of smooth arrangements in order to continue implementing ODA projects. They shared expectation that successful implementation of infrastructural projects in Ukraine will play positive role in investments promotion and that the relevant technologies and expertise of Japanese companies would be efficiently and appropriately utilized.
They shared the view on the necessity of ensuring further optimization of the mechanism of receiving the assistance from Japan and increasing its efficiency.
- The two leaders shared the view that Ukraine with its vast chernozem belts has high potential of increasing agricultural production, grains in particular, which may positively contribute to the global balance of food supplies. They affirmed the importance of promoting agricultural investment and sharing knowledge and technologies in the agricultural sector.
President Yanukovych expressed his readiness to facilitate stable supplies of agricultural products to the global markets, including Japan, which was welcomed by Prime Minister Kan.
- The two leaders recognized the necessity of addressing the climate change issues and the importance of bilateral cooperation in this field, including through the Joint Implementation (JI) and the Green Investment Scheme (GIS) under the Kyoto Protocol. President Yanukovych highly appreciated the ecological investment of Japan to Ukraine and confirmed the commitment of the Ukrainian Government to ensure the appropriate and transparent management of the GIS financial resources and fulfilment of respective arrangements made with the Japanese side within the GIS framework. President Yanukovych reaffirmed the commitment to specify promptly the GIS concrete projects, for which the Japanese technologies and expertise would be utilized at the implementation stage.
- The two leaders welcomed the outcomes of the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 6th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol held in November-December 2010 in Cancun, Mexico. They reiterated their support to the balanced set of the decisions adopted at Cancun based on the elements inscribed in the Copenhagen Accord. They concurred to continue their mutual cooperation toward the early adoption of a new single and comprehensive legal document which establishes a fair and effective international framework in which all major economies participate.
- The two leaders welcomed broadening of cooperation and intensification of exchanges in the sphere of advanced science and technologies, particularly in the field of the outer space peaceful exploration, exemplified by the implementation of Japan's astrometry project "Jasmine" to be launched by the Ukrainian rocket carrier.
They also expressed readiness to promote and increase the efficiency of the Japan-Ukraine Commission for Science and Technology Cooperation.
- Prime Minister Kan reaffirmed his intention to support President Yanukovych's efforts towards further strengthening of democracy in Ukraine, for example in the form of dispatches of election observers in the future.
- The two leaders appreciated the existing cooperative dialogue frameworks between the two countries, including the Japan-Ukraine Cooperation Committee at the Foreign Ministers' level, the Joint Meeting between the Coordinating Council for Economic Cooperation with Japan under the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine and the Committee on Ukraine of Nippon Keidanren, the Japan-Ukraine Commission for Science and Technology Cooperation and the Japan-Ukraine policy dialogue. They supported further development of all these mechanisms aimed at strengthening cooperation in wide range of areas. It was decided to hold the 3rd meeting of the Japan-Ukraine Cooperation Committee at Foreign Ministers' level at the earliest and mutually convenient timing in 2011 and the 2nd meeting of the Japan-Ukraine Commission for Science and Technology Cooperation in Tokyo in 2011. The concrete timing of both meetings will be coordinated through diplomatic channels in the nearest future.
- President Yanukovych highly appreciated the activities and achievements of the Ukraine-Japan Centre at Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, established in 2006 as a joint project with financial and personnel contributions from Japan. Among different activities of the Centre, the two leaders noted that the technical cooperation on Japan's project and program management has been useful for development of various sectors of Ukrainian economy. They recognized that the Centre should remain the important element of bilateral cooperation in the spheres of science and technology, trade and investment promotion, Japanese language training, mutual cultural enrichment, enhancing mutual understanding, while actively involving all the stakeholders of both countries. They shared the view on the importance of language education with the aim of deepening mutual understanding between the two peoples. Prime Minister Kan expressed his readiness to work together with the Ukrainian side to enhance Japanese language education in Ukraine, and President Yanukovych expressed his readiness to work together with the Japanese side to promote Ukrainian language education in Japan.
- Recalling that the year of 2011 marks the 25th anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant accident, the two leaders shared the view on the necessity to support the recovery and sustainable development of the affected regions and reaffirmed their willingness to cooperate on this issue, with active engagement of international community.
The two leaders recognized the importance of the International Conference "25 years after the Chornobyl Disaster: Safety for the Future" in April 2011 in Kyiv and President Yanukovych invited Prime Minister Kan to attend this Conference. Prime Minister Kan expressed the willingness of the Japanese side to participate in this Conference at an appropriate level. President Yanukovych emphasized the importance of the Chornobyl Fundraising Pledging Conference. Prime Minister Kan welcomed the efforts of the Ukrainian side and the international community and expressed his sincere hope that the necessary steps will be taken for the completion of the Chornobyl safety and stabilization projects in a timely manner.
- President Yanukovych appreciated valuable contributions by Japan and the ongoing projects of providing support to the local communities in affected areas of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant accident through the UN Trust Fund for Human Security, which was established under Japan's initiative.
The two leaders confirmed the significance and effectiveness of human security in addressing such interrelated global challenges as climate change, terrorism, drug trafficking, poverty and health issues, and reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate within international fora to further promote the concept of building the world where all individuals can live with dignity free from fear and want.
- The two leaders welcomed the sharing of practical knowledge and experience between the Football Federation of Ukraine, which will jointly host the UEFA European Cup in 2012 with Poland, and the Japan Football Association, which jointly hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2002 with the Republic of Korea.
- On the occasion of celebrating the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the two leaders expressed willingness to hold the Month of Japan in Ukraine and the Month of Ukraine in Japan reciprocally in 2012. In this regard, President Yanukovych also expressed his support to organising the tour of the Japanese National traditional theatre "Kabuki" in Ukraine.
They welcomed the deepening of mutual understanding through exchanges between the citizens of the two countries, particularly on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the sisterhood relations establishment between the cities of Kyiv and Kyoto in 2011.
- The two leaders also welcomed operation of direct charter flights between Kyiv and Tokyo planned in summer 2011 that would enhance people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. The President Yanukovych expressed the initiative of launching the regular direct flights between the two countries in the near future. Prime Minister Kan expressed his intention to render due consideration based on the performance of charter flights.
- With the aim of further developing contacts between the peoples of Japan and Ukraine, the two leaders directed the corresponding officials to explore the possibility of facilitation of visa regime for Ukrainians.
- Prime Minister Kan highly praised Ukraine for having abandoned the world's third largest nuclear arsenal in 1994 and having removed a substantial part of highly enriched uranium at the end of 2010 in accordance with the declaration in April 2010, which are the most important steps towards a world without nuclear weapons and nuclear non-proliferation.
President Yanukovych highly appreciated the initiative jointly taken by Japan and Australia on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation launched in September 2010 and expressed readiness for cooperation with this endeavour. The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of reducing nuclear risks and decided to enhance cooperation in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. They expressed their shared commitment to work together towards ensuring the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty as well as the immediate commencement and early conclusion of negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty in the Conference on Disarmament.
- The two leaders noted with satisfaction the projects in the field of nuclear security and safety under the auspices of the Japan-Ukraine Committee on Cooperation for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons Reduced in Ukraine. They welcomed the active participation of academic circles and civil society in achieving a world without nuclear weapons. In this regard they also welcomed the launch of the course "Hiroshima-Nagasaki Peace Study Course" at Kyiv Polytechnic Institute in 2010.
- The two leaders welcomed the existing level of cooperation between Ukraine and Japan in the UN and its specialised agencies. They shared their desire to make in the nearest future the Security Council more representative, legitimate, effective, and responsive to the realities of the international community in the 21st century. They expressed their readiness to continue active engagement into the intergovernmental negotiation on the Security Council reform, including its expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories, towards a solution that can garner the widest possible political acceptance of the Member States. President Yanukovych fully reaffirmed Ukraine's support for Japan's aspiration for the permanent membership in the Security Council and expressed hope for Japan's consistent support of Ukraine's stand that the Security Council reform must ensure broadened representation of the Group of Eastern European States by respective allocation of at least one additional non-permanent seat.
- Prime Minister Kan praised the active role of Ukraine within the "Organization for Democracy and Economic Development - GUAM", an important regional mechanism of promoting democracy and economic development, with which Japan maintains dialogue and cooperation within the framework "GUAM plus Japan."
President Yanukovych highly appreciated the results of seminars in the areas of mutual interest such as tourism promotion and energy saving, which were financed and organized by Japan and contributed into deepening of cooperation among GUAM members.
The two leaders welcomed the training program in Japan on tourism promotion to be held consecutively for 3 years from 2011 and the seminar on natural disaster prevention due in 2011, while reiterating their commitment to promote dialogue and cooperation under the "GUAM plus Japan".
- Expressing determination to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), President Yanukovych highly praised the Japanese ODA in the field of health protection, such as the General Grant Aid projects on regional children's hospitals and the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security improving primary healthcare.
The President of Ukraine also commended "Kan Commitment", which was announced by Prime Minister Kan at the High-level Plenary Meeting of the 65th General Assembly of the United Nations on the MDGs in September 2010, which is to contribute 5 billion dollars in assistance in the field of health as well as 3.5 billion dollars in the field of education over 5 years from 2011 including contribution amounting to 800 million dollars to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in the coming years.
- The two leaders condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purpose. With regard to the measures against money laundering and terrorism financing, they noted with satisfaction the ongoing discussions on the efficient cooperation frameworks.
- With regard to the development of nuclear program by North Korea, the two leaders stressed the necessity of achieving denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in accordance with the 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. They reiterated the importance of the steady implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions 1718 and 1874 by all the UN member states. Furthermore, they reaffirmed that it is necessary for North Korea to address humanitarian concerns of the international community, in accordance with the relevant resolutions adopted at the UN General Assembly in December 2010 and the UN Human Rights Council in March 2010.
- President Yanukovych invited Prime Minister Kan to pay an official visit to Ukraine in the near future. Prime Minister Kan received the invitation with profound gratitude.
Tokyo, 18 January 2011
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Mr. Naoto Kan |
Mr. Viktor Yanukovych |
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Prime Minister of Japan |
President of Ukraine |
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