TOWARD UKRAINIAN-GERMAN "SPECIAL RELATIONS"?

Receiving a delegation of State Secretaries from German ministries, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma spoke of a "special relationship between Kiev and Bonn" and also said that "Germany could play a special role in Ukraine’s life." The German delegation arrived in Kiev October 12 to review the full range of German-Ukrainian relations and generate new ideas on expanding economic cooperation, assistance to Ukraine for closing the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, and foreign policy issues. On the latter subject, the two countries’ positions "are either close or coincide," Ukrainian Foreign Ministry officials said. (14)

The review of bilateral relations should also help prepare German Chancellor Helmut Kohl’s upcoming visit to Ukraine in reciprocation of Kuchma’s July visit to Germany. On that occasion Kohl and Kuchma agreed that the two countries would hold regular high-level meetings.

Transdniester Leader Defines Geopolitical Role.