If Ukraine integrates into the common economic area with Russia on the basis of a free-trade zone only, this will not contradict its European aspirations, Ukrainian Economics Minister Valery Khoroshkovsky said at a news conference.

He said that in the free-trade zone framework, Russia should lift restrictions on several Ukrainian export commodities, including steel pipes.

Khoroshkovsky also said creation of a free-trade zone between Ukraine and the EU would be realistic over the next five years.

He stressed that joining the WTO is now the goal number one for Ukraine.

(NewsBase 29.ix.03)