KIEV, April 7 (RIA Novosti) - President Viktor Yushchenko welcomes a European Parliament decision to start talks on Ukraine's becoming an associated member of the EU, his press office said Friday.
"This is a triumph of Ukrainian diplomacy, Ukraine's success," said Yushchenko, adding that Thursday's decision was a major spur to the development of relations between Ukraine and the European Union.
Yushchenko said Ukraine would now focus on the three-year action plan it had signed with the EU in February 2005 to bring its standards closer to European ones. Once the plan has been fulfilled, Yushchenko said, Ukraine will seek an associated membership and later on a permanent membership in the Union.
