KIEV, May 29 (RIA Novosti) - Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko will not attend an international economic forum in St. Petersburg, a deputy presidential spokesman said on Friday.
Andriy Goncharuk said Yushchenko had received an invitation from his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, to take part in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and the World Grain Forum on June 6-7.
"In circumstances when Ukraine does not have a clear idea if a visit to St. Petersburg would be effective both for finding ways out of the economic crisis and for resuming constructive dialogue with Russia at the top level, a decision has been made that it will not be expedient for the president to attend the event," the UNIAN news agency quoted Goncharuk as saying.
He explained that Russia had not provided Yushchenko with a program of the forum events, nor had it responded to his proposal for both presidents to hold a working meeting.
In an interview with the Nezavisimaya Gazeta daily on Friday Yushchenko complained that he had proposed meeting Medvedev several times, but "the issue has not been decided."
