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Ukraine's PM: pause in signing Association Agreement caused by economic reasons

Economic recession and difficulties in trade cited as main issues

© EPA/SERGEY DOLZHENKO

KIEV, December 05, 13:26 /ITAR-TASS/. A pause in signing the Association Agreement with the European Union has been conditioned by “purely economic difficulties”, Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov said at the 20th session of the Council of OSCE Foreign Ministers currently underway in Kiev.

“Serious difficulties in trade with our neighbors are also reasons for big problems. Thus, we decided to solve them, increase trade turnover and then continue the process,” Azarov said.

He named the decision to suspend preparations for signing the Association Agreement as “difficult. This decision led to the opposition protest actions. This is absolutely normal when people go to streets in order to voice their protest. We understand people and do our best to make protest actions peaceful”.

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