New York attacks on 11 September 2001
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Traditional ceremonies and a national day of service will remember the victims of the attacks
Remembrance services are to be held in the United States to mark the eighth anniversary of the hijacked plane attacks of 11 September 2001.
Nearly 3,000 people died when the four planes crashed in New York, at the Pentagon and in a Pennsylvania field.
President Barack Obama will speak at the Pentagon site and Americans have been encouraged to contribute to a national day of service.
US soldiers in Afghanistan completed a 9.11km (5.5 mile) run to mark the day.
Ukraine interested in good relations with Russia
Ukraine is interested in developing dynamic and effective partnership with the Russian Federation emphasized President Victor Yushchenko at today’s press conference in Poltava region.
“Certainly, it is important to have active Ukrainian-Russian relations. This corresponds with national interests”, he said.
However, the President said, Ukraine stands for mutual respect of our two countries to one another, building equal relations, including trade, and against the “policy of constraints” it faces today.
In this context, Victor Yushchenko pointed to a number of unresolved issues, particularly creation of a free trade zone. “We’re sorry that since the establishment of the CIS only 4% of the reached agreements within its framework have been actually implemented… We support pragmatism in our relations. But pragmatism means that we must form primarily the modern market economic relations, which should of course be based on a free trade zone “, said Victor Yushchenko.
Separately he pointed to the need to form a new customs policy. “Customs economic border should not be a blood clot in the channel of exchange of goods, services or investment”, he said.
Victor Yushchenko welcomed by Lech Kaczynski in Warsaw
In Warsaw President Victor Yushchenko was officially welcomed by the President of Poland Lech Kaczynski.
After the welcoming ceremony the Presidents presented national decorations to each other. Victor Yushchenko was awarded the Commander’s Cross of Polonia Restituta and conferred Lech Kaczynski the Order of Liberty.
Members of Ukrainian delegation include: Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Volodymyr Khandogiy, NSDC Secretary Raisa Bohatyryova, Vice Prime Minister Ivan Vasyunyk, Minister for Culture Vasyl Vovkun, Minister for Family, Youth and Sports Yuri Pavlenko, Deputy Head of Presidential Secretariat Andrii Goncharuk, acting Chairman of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory Ihor Yukhnovsky.
Source: http://www.mfa.gov.ua/usa/en/news/detail/27589.htm
18 years of independent Ukraine
18 years ago on August 24th, 1991 the Verhovna Rada of Ukraine declared the independence of Ukraine. This became one of the most prominent events of XX century. At the all-national referendum held on December 1, 1991 over 90% of Ukrainian citizens expressed their will and supported the Independence Act adopted by parliamentarians earlier.
That day became a turning point in the history of the Ukrainian nation’s development and a powerful impetus to unification for Ukrainians all over the world, inspiring work for peace and prosperity in our common homeland.
Though we celebrate only the 18th anniversary of Ukraine’s new Independence, the process of the Ukrainian statehood establishment has more than a thousand-year history. Ukraine is proud of her many fellow countrymen, worldwide known historical figures, who made their important contribution into the world’s history. These are – Princes Volodymyr the Great and Danylo Halytsky, Hetmans (Cossack Chiefs) Petro Sahaydachny, Bohdan Hmelnytsky and Ivan Mazepa, author of the first Ukrainian Constitution Pylyp Orlyk, famous politicians at the turn of XX century Myhailo Hrushevsky and Volodymyr Vynnychenko, Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists - Ukrainian Insurgent Army (OUN-UIA) leaders and plenty of others. They created the history of Ukrainian statehood, full of struggle for independence, for a chance for a free Ukraine to exist. Beginning from the Kyiv Rus and to contemporary Ukraine our country always possessed qualities of a democratic and European country seeking friendship and accord with other civilized countries.