Volodymyr Demchyshyn and Ambassador of Canada to Ukraine Roman Vashchuk discuss cooperation issues in energy sphere
On 5 February, Minister
of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine Volodymyr Demchyshyn
held a meeting with Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Canada to
Ukraine Mr. Roman Vashchuk. During the meeting the parties
discussed cooperation issues in the energy sector, in particular in the nuclear
power and oil and gas industries.
Volodymyr Demchyshyn thanked the Canadian party for the support of
Ukraine, in particular for the promotion of reforms in the energy sector of
Ukraine, the work of experts from Canada as a part of the Ukraine-US-Canada
working group on the development of a National
Emergency Plan for Gas and Electricity.
He noted that last
week, in the Ministry there had been working the Ukraine-US-Canada working
group led by William Bryan, Senior Advisor to the U.S. Secretary of State for Energy,
and it resulted into approval of a preliminary decision to prolong work on the
enlargement of the Plan in March of this year.
During the meeting,
the Minister outlined the situation in the fuel and energy complex of the
country and stressed that Ukraine takes measures directed to de-monopolization
of the economy, bringing Ukrainian legislation in compliance with European
requirements to ensure transparent tenders, the regulation of tariffs for
energy resources and the creation of market relations in the energy sector. Volodymyr
Demchyshyn noted that these measures would contribute
to attracting investment and achieving energy security of the country.
The Minister of
Energy told about principal lines of reforms in Ukraine in energy sector and
draw attention to solving environmental and social problems.
The Ambassador of
Canada in turn reaffirmed commitment of Canada to prolong cooperation with
Ukraine, in particular in applying technologies and investments of Canada in
the energy sector of Ukraine.
In the meeting from
the Canadian side there were present Trade Commissioner of the Embassy of
Canada to Ukraine Clint Martin, Counsellor and Director of the technical
assistance programme of the Embassy of Canada to Ukraine Steven Potter, Advisor
and Senior program analyst of the Embassy of Canada to
Ukraine Zheng Zhang.