"Ukraine is praising the relations of special partnership established between our friendly countries," Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said in Canada.
During a meeting with Governor General of Canada Michaelle Jean, he praised human and interstate relations between Canada and Ukraine, adding that the countries are united by common goals and values, particularly democracy, human rights and freedoms, and the supremacy of law.
"Ukraine remembers and will always remember that it was Canada that was one of the first western countries to recognize the independence of our state in 1991," Yushchenko said.
The head of state stressed Canada's consistent support for Ukraine on the international arena, in particular, in the issue of Euro-Atlantic integration and accession to the Common Economic Space.
The Ukrainian president said the main goal of his visit to Canada was to give a new impetus to Ukrainian-Canadian partnership, deepening cooperation and strengthening contacts between businessmen.
During a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Yushchenko discussed the prospects of developing bilateral partnership, energy cooperation and activating cultural and humanitarian interaction.
The officials spoke about the issues linked to the life of Ukrainian Diaspora in Canada and the Famine of 1932-1933 in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian head of state thanked the prime minister and the Canadian government for their contribution to developing and deepening Ukrainian-Canadian relations of special partnership and their position adopted during a NATO summit in Bucharest. Yushchenko praised Canada's plans to support Ukraine during a meeting of foreign ministers of NATO member states in December 2008.
Speaking about the prospects for bilateral cooperation in energy, the Ukrainian president highly assessed a memorandum of cooperation with Canada in nuclear energy, particularly in using Canada's CANDU reactors in Ukraine. The document was signed during an energy summit in Kyiv.
Yushchenko also expressed hope that the Canadian authorities would continue supporting local Ukrainian community. In this connection, he stressed the importance of stepping up cooperation in cultural and humanitarian sectors. According to the president, this concerns the opening of a museum of Ukrainian Diaspora in Kyiv. The museum is to exhibit the monuments of culture, history and the life of Ukrainian compatriots abroad. Yushchenko invited the Canadian government to participate in this project.
Yushchenko also invited Harper to visit Ukraine. "I am convinced that this visit will give a new impetus to a Ukrainian-Canadian political dialogue," he said.
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