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Sergei Lavrov: political dialogue between Kiev and Moscow intensive

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Leonid Kozhara

CHERNOVTSY, January 13 (Itar-Tass) – Relations between Russia and Ukraine are characterized “by an intensive political dialogue at all levels, and first of all the summit level,” visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Leonid Kozhara.

“Economy is also a basis of cooperation,” he said. “We discussed today in particular prospects for an agreement on the zone of free trade,” he said. “Groups within the framework of the sub-committee for fight against new challenges and threats are working actively. Our ministries and secret services cooperate on the prevention of terrorist acts and in fight against drug trafficking and organized crime,” he said.

“We also seek to settle border issues so that to maximally contribute to communication between the Russian and Ukrainian people, so that they could have the possibility to cross the border maximally comfortably,” he added.

“We are satisfied with the way our delegations cooperate within the framework of the United Nations, the OSCE, the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation,” Lavrov said. “We actively supported Ukraine’s election as OSCE president. We will proceed from the fact that this year will see active work on all directions in the activity of this organization, the strengthening of its initial principles,” he said.

“I have invited my colleague to Moscow and we agreed during the talks to pay particular attention to OSCE matters,” he informed.

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