Georgian president arrives in Ukraine for official visit

AP Worldstream
Mar 24, 2005

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili arrived in Ukraine on Thursday
for talks with Ukraine’s President Viktor Yushchenko aimed at expanding
cooperation between the two Western-oriented ex-Soviet republics.

Joint energy and transport projects were expected to dominate
negotiations when the two presidents meet Friday, but the unfolding
events in Kyrgyzstan were also likely to be on the agenda. Both
countries have offered to mediate.

Protesters in the Kyrgyz capital seized control of the presidential
and government headquarters on Thursday, reportedly prompting President
Askar Akayev to flee the country and tender his resignation.

The upheaval in Kyrgyzstan has been likened to last year’s Orange
Revolution protests in Ukraine and the 2003 protests in Georgia that
helped usher opposition leaders into power. Those protests were also
sparked by allegations of widespread election fraud.

During his visit to Ukraine, due to end early Saturday, Saakashvili
was also expected to meet with Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and
Parliament Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn.

Both Saakashvili and Yushchenko have advocated a pro-Western course.
They have also talked about reviving a loose trade grouping of five
ex-Soviet republics. In addition to Ukraine and Georgia, the group
also includes Armenia, Azerbaijan and Moldova.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress