Ukraine backs India for UN permanent seat
26 Nov 2011
New Delhi: East European nation, Ukraine, the second largest country on the European continent in terms of geographical size, on Friday declared support for India's bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. Both nations also agreed to fast-track a visa pact for accelerating economic ties.
Ukrainian foreign minister Kostyantyn Gryshchenko, on a four-day visit to India, held wide-ranging talks with external affairs minister SM Krishna, in the course of which Gryshchenko conveyed Ukraine's support for India's permanent membership of an expanded UN Security Council.
Cooperation to combat terrorism figured prominently in the talks.
The two ministers signed an agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic passport holders.
It was also agreed to work out a mechanism to speed up the issuance of visas to make it easier for businessmen, tourists, students and others to travel in both directions.
Bilateral trade has touched $2.24 billion in 2010-11.
The two sides decided to hold the next meeting of the Inter-Governmental Commission next year to impart further momentum to the economic and trade ties, the external affairs ministry said here.
The two sides discussed ways to expand military cooperation. Two years ago, India signed a pact with Spets Techno Export from Ukraine to upgrade AN-32 transport aircraft.