Ukraine could not delay with ratification of the free trade area agreement within the CIS frames, since this would lead to Russia's closing an access to its market for a number of Ukrainian goods.

Economic Development and Trade Minister Petro Poroshenko told ZN.UA about this, UKRINFORM reports.

“If we further delay with realization of earlier reached agreements, the volume of protective measures on limiting an access of goods to the Russian market would be considerably increased. I do not rule out introduction of additional duties for Ukraine on the part of Russia in case of non-ratification of the agreement,” Poroshenko ntoed.

At the same time, according to him, the Ukrainian government believes that the FTA agreement with the CIS countries is useful for Ukraine and will have a positive influence on its economy.

“In this case, the matter concerns the fact that we receive a new legal mechanism, ratified by parliaments of the two countries, which envisages decisive steps to reduction of trade withdrawals and the use of protective measures against an access of Ukrainian goods to the Russian market and, respectively, of Russia to the Ukrainian market,” Poroshenko believes.

As reported, the Verkhovna Rada has ratified an agreement on creation of the free trade area with the CIS countries on July 30. On October 18, 2012, eight CIS countries agreed on creation of the free trade area, however, with a number of withdrawals on separate groups of goods (for which duties were also envisaged).
 

Ukrinform