Permanent Secretary of State meets with the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

On June 20, Mr. Einar Gunnarsson, Permanent Secretary of State, met with the Ukrainian Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Pavlo Klimkin. During the meeting they discussed bilateral relations between the two countries, trade cooperation and international affairs, including the United Nations, NATO and the OSCE, with particular focus on Ukraine´s chairmanship of the OSCE in 2013. They also discussed Iceland´s interest in reaching an aviation agreement with Ukraine, as well as discussing ongoing negotiations on a visa facilitation agreement and a readmission agreement between the two countries.  

The Permanent Secretary presented Iceland´s main foreign policy priorities, including emphasis on international development cooperation, Arctic issues, renewable energy, security and defence, gender equality and the rights of lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. The Permanent Secretary and the Deputy Foreign Minister discussed human rights issues, where Iceland encouraged Ukraine to pursue reform in that field and effectively implement international human rights obligations. In this context, the Permanent Secretary of State referred in particular to the case of former Prime Minister, Mrs. Yulia Tymoshenko, who is currently serving a seven years prison sentence in Ukraine.