[autom.vertaling] De Oekraïne: Leden van het Europese Parlement zeggen over vaste weg naar democratie (en)

"The Ukraine is firmly on the path towards becoming a mature democracy". This is the view expressed in a joint resolution adopted by Members of the European Parliament today. The resolution on the Parliamentary elections in the Ukraine was put forward by all the PES, EPP-ED, ALDE, GUE/NGL, UEN and the Greens/EFA. It welcomed the fact that the Ukrainian elections were held in a "satisfactory manner fully in accordance with international electoral standards".

Despite noting the "shortcomings of the elections", the House congratulates the people of Ukraine on "their commitment to the democratic process in their country". In response to this commitment it urges the newly elected Government to "fully commit themselves to the irreversibility of this democratic process and to unreservedly continue and strengthen the political, social and economic reforms".

Concerning the EU's role, the resolution calls for the Commission and Council to advance its support for the "further democratic development of Ukraine" and to begin "to negotiate an Association Agreement between the European Communities and Ukraine" in view of the expiration of the current Agreement in 2008. It also calls on the Member States to " undertake similar initiatives and projects to provide concrete support, contributing to a continuation of the democratisation and reform process" and for neighbouring States to "refrain from any economic or other pressure to change the democratically decided further political, social and economic development of the country".

MEPs look forward to "increased cooperation with the Verkhovna Rada and to a sustained transition process in Ukraine that will bring the country closer to the objective of ever more intensive cooperation with the European Union " as well as to a " visa-facilitation agreement between the EU and Ukraine with the final goal of a non-visa regime". The resolution expresses a hope that the Ukraine can make progress in its attempt to become a full member of the WTO, and that the Commission will " respect all actions geared to realising Ukraine's European aspirations".