http://www.qatar-tribune.com/viewnews.aspx?n=FF732309-172A-49F0-B410-4E2DC182F5FD&d=20141228

RELATIONS between Qatar and Ukraine are set to get a boost in the coming months especially in the economic sphere as a result of ongoing talks between the two countries, according to the Ambassador

of Ukraine to Qatar HE Yevhen Mykytenko.

The ambassador added that this involves the recent formation of a joint business council in June, this year.

Speaking to Qatar Tribune in a recent interview, the ambassador said that several bilateral meetings in

the coming months were expected to give relations between the two countries a boost, especially in terms

of trade and investment.

"Our first goal was and remains to make a solid legal basis for our relations, and it is very important that we prepare this for our trade and economic relations," the ambassador said, adding,"A delegation of Ukrainian experts will be in Doha to finalise two agreements, one on the protection of investments and another on

the establishment of an intergovernmental economic and technical commission. I hope that these two very important documents will be ready to be signed during a high level visit next year."

"In the coming months, January and February, we have several diverse delegations from Ukraine coming

to visit Doha. This includes not only trade and economic delegations but also those who are specialised in developing sporting tournaments and their infrastructure, building different sport facilities, and so on," the ambassador further said, underlining the significance of the coming months in terms of boosting relations between the two countries in different fields.

Elaborating on the nature of economic relations between the two countries to date, Mykytenko said that despite the relatively brief history of trade between Qatar and Ukraine, there was a lot of potential for

further growth.

"We would like to grow further economically, but we understand that Qatar has a right to choose a partner, and that Qatar needs time to know about the economic possibilities of Ukraine. Trade is ongoing, and

during nine months of this year, trade between the two countries was about $20 million. I think this is only the beginning, and now that there are embassies of Ukraine in Qatar and vice versa, we are working at a faster rate," he said.

In the field of sports, the ambassador noted that there were fine examples of cooperation between

Ukrainian and Qatari athletes, including participation by Qatari athletes in competitions in Ukraine and participation of Ukrainian athletes in events in Qatar. In addition, the ambassador noted that there were several Ukrainian coaches working in Qatar, perhaps the most well-known of which is Viktor Karasov, who worked with Nasser Saleh al Attiyah, winner of a bronze medal in the men's skeet competition in the 2012 London Olympics Games.

On a larger scale, the ambassador added,"I'm sure that in the future, we have good prospects for cooperation: in the field of preparing for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, as Ukraine has good

experience in organising such events. Along with Poland we had co-hosted one of the most popular

football competitions the 2012 UEFA European Championships."

With regard to relations between the two countries on a general level, the ambassador expressed his gratitude to the government of Qatar for its support of Ukraine during its recent crisis."We are very

thankful to the Qatari authorities for their stand with Ukraine in the United Nations. I would like to

stress upon the fact that, in April of this year, Qatar voted in favour of a very important resolution

regarding Ukraine," he added.

Discussing the history of relations between Qatar and Ukraine, the ambassador noted that diplomatic cooperation was friendly despite the fact that ties between the two countries were relatively recent,

having been established about 21 years ago, in 1993."Ukraine opened its Embassy in Doha in 2013.

I am the first resident ambassador to Qatar, and this is a great pleasure and a great honour. I am very pleased that, in the same year, Qatar established its first Embassy in Kiev," the ambassador signed off.

Ramy Salama

Doha