I
nordertoassessadequatelythedevelopment
of relationships between Ukraine and the
Arab countries of the Gulf, it is necessary to
go back to the history of such relationships,
sinceananalysisbasedpurelyon statisticsof
commodity turnover could hardly provide
objectiveassessmentof the situationanddevelop
correct benchmarks for defining theprospects.
InApril 1993, Ukrainiandelegationheaded
by PrimeMinister LeonidKuchma visited the
Gulf countries. FirstMinister of ForeignAffairs of
Ukraine, AnatoliyZlenkowhowas amember of
that delegation tells us about thosedays:
“Agreat achievement of this visitwas the
signingof anumber of documents setting forth
thediplomatic relationships betweenUkraine
andGulf countries. For instance,when Iwas
signing theprotocolwith theMinister of Foreign
Affairsof Saudi Arabia, I foundout that anumber
of countries includingPolandhadnodiplomatic
relationshipswith this country. Another vital factor
was theopeningof our embassies inUnitedArab
Emirates, Kuwait andSaudi Arabia– this allowed
Ukraine toget the representation almost in the
whole region.”
Subsequently, the level of bilateral
relationshipswas supportedprimarilyon
the account of exchanginggovernment and
department delegations. For instance, in1995,
Ukraine andUnitedArab Emirates signed the
intergovernmental Agreement oneconomic,
trade and technical cooperation. Since1995,
Ukrainehas been a constant andprominent
participant of theworldwide-known Idex
internationalmilitary exhibitions held inUAE
every two years.
ONTHEEVE
of aHighVisit
However,whatmaybemore informative than
statistics are theestimationsof analystswhodid
active researchof relationshipsofUkrainewith
Gulf countrieson theeveof theofficial visitOf
theMinister of ForeignAffairsofUkraineAnatoliy
Zlenko to theGulf countries in January2002:
“On thebackgroundof trade success
achievedby KyivwithdenselypopulatedMuslim
countries of theMiddle East, the low levels of
turnover reachedbyUkrainewithother, less
populatedbutmuch richer countries like Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar andOman
standout indramatic contrast.”
Themaingoal of the visit of theMinister of
ForeignAffairs of UkraineAnatoliyZlenkowas in
creating an impulse togain themomentum in
development of tradeandeconomic cooperation
of UkrainewithGulf countries. Fir reference: at
the time, theembassyof Ukraineexistedonly in
the Emirates andonly Kuwait had its Embassy in
Ukraine. Therewerenoofficial relationshipswith
Qatar andOman. Duringhis visit in January 2002,
AnatoliyZlenko visitedKuwait, Qatar, Oman and
UAE. Ineachof these countries, AnatoliyZlenko
metwithministers of foreign affairs andwith
ministers of economy. Also, inQatar, Ukrainian
delegationwas received by the Emir of the
State of Qatar Sheikh Khamad bin Khalifa Al-
Tani, in the Sultanate of Oman – by theDeputy
PrimeMinister of Oman SaidAl-Said (the
second senior official of the state); and inUAE
thedelegationmetwith theHeadof Parliament
MohammadKhalif binKhabtur. Therefore, not
onlydidUkrainiandelegationmanage tohold
official negotiations anddelivermessages from
thePresident of Ukrainebut also itmanaged to
establishpersonal contacts.
Duringhis visit, AnatoliyZlenkowas
accompaniedby representatives of Ukrainian
ministries of industry, economy and European
THEMAINGOALOF
THEVISITOFTHE
MINISTEROFFOREIGN
AFFAIRSOFUKRAINE
ANATOLIYZLENKO
WAS INCREATING
AN IMPULSETOGAIN
THEMOMENTUM IN
DEVELOPMENTOF
TRADEANDECONOMIC
COOPERATIONOF
UKRAINEWITHGULF
COUNTRIES
Anatoliy M. Zlenko - Minister
of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
1990-1994, 2000-2003,Madlen
Olbrite - State Secretary of the
USA 1996-2000, Anatoliy S.
Zlenko (jun.) - Advisor to the
president of the Foundation
for Support of International
CooperationofUkraine
89
ÍÅÄÂÈÆÈÌÎÑÒÜ, ÁÈÇÍÅÑ, ÈÍÂÅÑÒÈÖÈÈ
BUSINESS EMIRATES
UKRAINE -UAE
