UKRAINE-KHOROSHKOVSKY-MEDIA

Kyiv, September 15 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister Valeriy Khoroshkovsky has told 66th U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that all political parties in Ukraine have equal access to the media.

The first vice-premier’s press service reported on Saturday that at a meeting held as part of the 9th Yalta Annual Meeting “Ukraine and the World: Addressing Tomorrow’s Challenges Together,” the sides discussed the political situation in Ukraine, in particular, preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

“The first deputy prime minister said that the issue of holding open and transparent elections is a priority task for the government. According to him, all political parties have equal access to the media, which is the basis for a competitive election campaign,” reads the statement.

The press service reported that Khoroshkovsky and Rice had also paid particular attention to trade and economic cooperation.

Khoroshkovsky stressed the need to strengthen cooperation between Ukraine and the United States in trade and investment.

“We need an impetus in trade and economy. This will help strengthen bilateral relations and reduce the impact of the European economic crisis on the national economy,” the press service quoted him as saying.

Parliamentary elections in Ukraine are scheduled for October 28.