President Yanukovych meets foreign officials

President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko

President Viktor Yanukovych held a range of bilateral meetings Thursday with foreign top officials and heads of delegations to his inauguration, UKRINFORM reported citing the presidential press-service.

At his yesterday's meeting with President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek, Viktor Yanukovych confirmed that he would soon visit Brussels. 'I am going ton to visit Brussels next week", he said.

The head of state also met High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.

During the meeting, the Ukrainian President noted that he has already reduced the costs of maintaining the Presidential Administration by 20%. He also pledged to further cut spendings on 'bureaucracy and give the money to the poor... because 20% of people are on the edge of poverty in Ukraine'.

The Ukrainian President also held a bilateral meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who arrived at the inauguration ceremony with his youngest son Nikolay.

"The relations between our two countries are at the doorstep of a new stage", Yanukovych said. He assured Lukashenko of his readiness to discuss all the major strategic directions of bilateral relations. "I am ready to work with you for economic good-neighborly relations between our two countries to develop rapidly", the Ukrainian President said.

"I did not and will not forget the native land of my ancestors - Vitebsk region", Yanukovych added.

Later this day, President Yanukovych met Special Envoy of the President of China, Minister of Agriculture of China Han Changfu.

During the meeting the head of state said: "I have now a very important task: to stabilize the economy, to change people's lives".

Yanukovych assured that he appreciates Ukraine's relations with China, considers them perspective and will do everything to strengthen them. He also noted that our state is very interested in China's involvement in investment projects in Ukraine, particularly in high-tech and economic sectors. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych is planning to visit Russian on March 5, he said this at a meeting with Chairman of the State Duma Boris Gryzlov and Chairman of Russian President's Administration Sergei Naryshkin.

"We have agreed with President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev on this", Yanukovych said adding that main purpose of this visit will be discussing intensification of relations with Russia especially in the economic sector.

During the talks, the head of state emphasized that Ukraine is facing difficulties, especially in economy: huge debts, GDP decline, collection of taxes two months in advance... "So, we will set to work with audit," he underscored.

UKRINFORM