OREANDA-NEWS. July 01, 2010. President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych believes that establishment of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, as well as Ukrainian-Sri Lankan Business Council opens new opportunities to develop active cooperation of our countries in various fields.

"The most important thing is that we agreed to establish the intergovernmental commission, which would be working on practical issues at the international level in various sectors of economy," said President Yanukovych at the press conference following Ukrainian-Sri Lankan talks. He added that these areas include engineering, agriculture, energy, transportation, communications, military-technical cooperation, etc.

President Yanukovych said that establishment of the Business Council at the level of Commerce and Industry Chambers of Ukraine and Sri Lanka will contribute to promotion of entrepreneurship and ensure favorable investment climate.

"The Business Council, which will include well-known businessmen of Ukraine and Sri Lanka, will join the Intergovernmental Commission in solving practical and methodological issues, elaborating legislative acts so that all decisions that need to be practically realized in Ukraine and Sri Lanka were implemented,” he said.

When asked about the prospects of military-technical cooperation President Yanukovych pointed to interest in cooperation in the aircraft repairing, establishing training bases, training, etc.

"When this issue is fully processed, we will provide information on that. Now we have the intentions and we see that they are real. Both parties are interested in their realization," said Viktor Yanukovych.

"We are interested in building hydroelectric power stations and we are really skilled in that. We are interested in exploration and development of oil fields," he said, adding that the Sri Lankan side is also interested in all these directions and they were discussed.

"We have a great prospect to significantly expand our trade and economic relations. In addition, we can plan our support in international organizations. We have already agreed to support one another to protect our interests," he said.