Minister of Foreign Affairs Volodymyr Ohryzko of Ukraine
Ohryzko was first appointed by Yushchenko on Feb 5 to replace Borys Tarasyuk, who was forced to resign on Jan 30 after parliament voted to sack him last December.
In scope of the visit Volodymyr Ohryzko is expected to hold meetings with Polish President Lech Kaczynski, Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.
Ohryzko said the authorities hoped to change public opinion before putting the issue to a referendum.
The Foreign Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Ohryzko expressed the hope that the Somali pirates and their representatives will soon realize who is hidden behind the supposedly benevolent businesswoman, Michele Lynn (Golden) Ballarin, stop immediately the fake and useless negotiations that she initiated for her dark purposes, and release the seamen before 2009 New Year holiday.
Foreign Affairs Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko has called for reduction of the size of the Ukraine's contributions to the single budget of the Commonwealth of Independent States, which is financed from the state budgets of the states-members of the commonwealth, he told this to the Fifth TV Channel company.
Ohryzko said that in early 2008, Ukraine paid USD 400,000 to the CIS budget, which is quite enough to cover the expenses for organization of the events Ukrainian representative take part in.
As a first deputy foreign minister, Ohryzko has been a lead negotiator with Moscow on the issue of the stationing of Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol.
Ohryzko is an associate of Tarasyuk, and it is berlieved he will continue a pro-Western policy.
Wednesday at the Ukrainian World Congress, Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko said Ukraine desires to remain in good relations with Russia but that joining NATO and the European Union are top goals, the Ukrainian government reported.
We will pursue a line about which the (Ukrainian) president spoke, flexibly but insistently," Ohryzko said in a statement.
However, Ohryzko said it is Ukraine's right to be among "democratic and free countries.
Gas talksFresh from his trip to Moldova, Ukrainian Foreign minister Ohryzko is expected in Moscow for talks with his counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
Ohryzko came under special criticism for his decision to speak Ukrainian and have it translated into Russian during a conference that included Russian and Ukrainian politicians and experts.
The split over Ohryzko was immediately followed by the coalition’s failure to approve four new members of the Supreme Council of Justice, a body that is instrumental in clearing appointment of judges to courts.
of the Yushchenko-Putin Commission.
Ohryzko is a pro-Western diplomat; he is reportedly disliked in Moscow.
presidential quota in the government.
Ohryzko was born in Kiev on 1 April 1956.
he briefly served as ambassador at large.
Ohryzko has been serving as foreign minister since 18 December 2007.
contradicted basic historical knowledge.
Volodymyr Ohryzko (Feb 2007)Ukrainian Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko says his country wants to gain NATO membership as soon as possible, while maintaining good ties with Russia.
one shouldn't even talk about that, Ohryzko said in Kiev, the Interfax news agency reported.