OREANDA-NEWS. December 10, 2010. Ukraine is in negotiations to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov said that at a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia Urmas Paet.

"I want to congratulate you on joining the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the decision of the European Union on Estonia's accession to the Eurozone January 1, 2011. We, incidentally, are going to join the OECD, we are negotiating and subsequently will have a decision" - Mykola Azarov emphasized.

The Prime Minister stressed that Ukraine is satisfied with the level of political dialogue with the Republic of Estonia and the absence in our relationship of problematic issues of principle. He said the two countries established good relations in all spheres, particularly in trade and economy. "We see the beginning of the joint Ukrainian-Estonian inter-governmental commission on economic, industrial, scientific and technical cooperation as an important step towards the development of concrete cooperation in priority areas for both countries" - Mykola Azarov emphasized. He added that our country is interested in studying the experience of Estonia in development and use of shale gas fields, as well as in Estonian investments in this sector in Ukraine.

Ukraine is also ready to strengthen and expand cooperation in cultural and humanitarian sphere. The Head of the Government noted that Ukrainian Diaspora of about 28000 people lives in Estonia and the opening of a cultural centre of the Embassy of Ukraine to the Republic of Estonia would contribute to the development of cultural and humanitarian cooperation between our countries.

The Prime Minister invited the Estonian side to intensify cooperation in the energy sector, particularly to discuss a joint electricity market creation. Moreover, Mykola Azarov thanked the Estonian side for its support of the European integration course of Ukraine.

In turn, еру Minister for Foreign Affairs of Estonia Urmas Paet said: "I am glad that our intergovernmental commission renew the work - this is an excellent format in which we can solve various bilateral cooperation issues.