Ukrainian television
December 19

Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma has finished his working visit to Uzbekistan. The Ukrainian and Uzbek presidents discussed prospects for the development of bilateral relations and international issues that are of interests to both states. The talks focused on the future of the GUUAM union [informal post-Soviet club including Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Moldova]. Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma and Uzbek President Islam Karimov agreed that if economic interests of CIS members are ensured, certain unions in the CIS territory would become redundant. The presidents said this during a joint news conference.

President Kuchma: "Mr Karimov voiced a proposal today. I think it is worth extraordinary attention: if during the next CIS summit in Ukraine we agree on what a majority of CIS countries want, many of numerous organizations on the post-Soviet and CIS territory will become redundant."

President Karimov: "Let us take a look at the issues related to the free trade zone. As far as I recall, at our meetings at the CIS level, at the top and medium levels, Ukraine has always said that the free trade zone, should it become a reality, will once and forever do away with many issues coming from the lack of trust in each other between our countries. Moreover, it will lay an absolutely objective economic basis for addressing political and many other issues."

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