OREANDA-NEWS. April 13, 2010. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, paid a visit to Ukraine on Aril 9-10, during the course of which the third meeting of the Russian-Ukrainian Interstate Commission’s Subcommittee on International Cooperation led by Lavrov and Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Kostiantyn Hryshchenko was held.

Lavrov was received by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

Within this Subcommittee, six sub-commissions have been created and are working: on cooperation in combating new challenges and threats; settlement of regional conflicts; the Azov-Kerch settlement; border and consular issues; cooperation in international organizations.

The meeting of the Subcommittee substantively examined all matters within the competence of these sub-commissions. In addition, the heads of the foreign affairs agencies discussed other topical issues related to bilateral cooperation, major international problems, particularly European security issues, and progress in Transnistrian conflict resolution.

The meeting of Lavrov and Hryshchenko – the third in the past two months – bears testimony to the active political dialogue between Russia and Ukraine.

Currently, preparations are under way for the sixth meeting of the Interstate Commission’s Committee on Economic Cooperation led by the prime ministers of Russia and Ukraine, which is scheduled for the second half of April in Moscow.

A meeting of the Interstate Commission’s Sub-Commission on the Black Sea Fleet is scheduled for April 28. Its agenda comprises issues relating to the operation of the Russian Black Sea Fleet based on the territory of Ukraine.

In addition, a meeting of the Interstate Commission’s Subcommittee on Humanitarian Cooperation took place on April 7 during the course of which the parties objectively examined, among many other themes, the issue of meeting the social, cultural and educational needs of Russians and Ukrainians living in the two countries.

Also being prepared is the meeting of the Subcommittee on Security of the Interstate Commission in which issues relating to Russian-Ukrainian military technology cooperation and interaction between the armed forces of the Russian Federation and Ukraine will be considered.

The activities of the working bodies are directed to prepare the third meeting of the Russian-Ukrainian Interstate Commission headed by President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, which is scheduled for May in Kyiv.