Hotel "Meridian", Amman, 27.08.2012
Your Excellencies!
Dear guests! Dear compatriots!
In August of 1991 the aspiration of the Ukrainian people came true. Today we do confirm that the Ukrainian people passed the exam on freedom and independence with dignity.
Now Ukraine continues conducting the democratic and economic reforms, determinately fighting corruption, ensuring freedom of expression and supremacy of law.
On 28 October 2012 on Sunday there will be the next parliamentary elections in Ukraine and we invite our compatriots to participate in the elections for the political party or candidate who they believe. These elections will be based on the new legal system, which was introduced in accordance with the Venetian Commission and the OSCE recommendations.
Ukraine is an important player of the international relations. For the first time in 2011 we had the chairmanship in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. This year the Central European Initiative will be held under the chairmanship of Ukraine. In 2013 Ukraine will have the chairmanship in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
The European integration strategy remains the basis of foreign political course of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian economy shows the trend for stable growth for the third year in a row. There is a growth of national economy: in 2010 this figure was 4.2%, in 2011 – 5.3%. As of July of 2012 the growth is slightly more than 2,5%, but the trend remains and it has stable character.
We keep and increase the capital of partnership relations with Jordan. The current year became a very fruitful for our bilateral relations. The main event of the Ukrainian-Jordanian relations was the official visit of the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych to Jordan in April of this year. It is symbolic that this visit was held on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Ukrainian-Jordanian diplomatic relations and 10 months after the first in the history of the bilateral relations official visit of the King of Jordan to Ukraine in June of 2011.
The striking event for the business and economic circles of both countries was the Ukrainian-Jordanian business forum, which was held in the frameworks of the visit of the President of Ukraine to Jordan.
In February of 2012 the official visit of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Kostyantyn Gryshchenko was held. The regional session of the heads of the diplomatic missions of Ukraine in the countries of the Middle East, North Africa and Iran was held in the frameworks of the visit. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan Nasser Judeh took part in the session and delivered a speech.
The outstanding event of the Ukrainian-Jordanian relations was the Second session of the Joint Ukrainian-Jordanian Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation in April of this year.
Intensification of the exchanging visits at the different levels positively impacted on the economic cooperation between our countries. During the first half of this year the bilateral trade volume showed a growth by 30% comparing with the same period of the last year. It is a pretty good figure and that is just the beginning.
Preparation to EURO-2012 became an additional factor of economic growth of Ukraine. Ukraine has been renewed: we’ve built 4 new airports, 4 stadiums, 2200 km of roads and other elements of infrastructure.
It is my pleasure to note that in July of this year the mini-football championship “Play with Europe in Jordan” among the teams of the diplomatic missions of the European countries accredited in Amman was held on the occasion of the EURO-2012. The team of the Embassy of Ukraine in Jordan gained a victory over such strong competitors as the teams of the Embassies of Spain, Italy and France and took the first place in this championship. I hope that in future holding the mini-football championships will be a good tradition and will be organized annually.
Distinguished guests!
Let’s raise the glasses for the State Holiday of Ukraine – 21st Anniversary of the Independence as well as for the further strengthening of the bilateral Ukrainian-Jordanian relations!
Eid Mubarak. Kul am van tum bi heir.