Awwal 08, 1432, Feb 11, 2011, SPA -- A former Ukrainian president on Friday sharply criticised a European Union plan for free trade, saying it would put the country's agricultural sector at a disadvantage, dpa reported. "They (the EU) are suggesting more than 400 exceptions. What does that say? What kind of free trade is that?" Leonid Kuchma said during a session of the Russo-Ukrainian economic development council. Kuchma's comments came one day after a senior EU official predicted a free-trade deal with Ukraine would be concluded by 2013 and become fully effective by 2019. "If you just look at the list of agricultural goods (to be excepted from duty-free status), the import taxes are set up so that our producers will have absolutely nothing to do in Europe," Kuchma said. "We have no need at all for 'free trade' of that sort." Philippe Cuisson, head of a European Commission delegation in Ukraine for talks on a free-trade zone, predicted on Thursday that Ukraine would be "fully integrated with the European economy in 10 years, like Switzerland or Norway." Kuchma slammed the proposed agreement, telling the Interfax news agency, "We will be completely undressed, everybody and everything will be able to come here, while the market for our goods in Europe will be closed." Ukraine's government has identified economic integration with the EU as one of its top priorities, seeing it as means to expanding exports and attracting foreign investment. The policy is criticized by many Ukrainians who, like Kuchma, see the country's economic future as better linked to Russia and other former Soviet states. Kuchma, a former missile factory boss, was Ukraine's president from 1994 to 2000. -- SPA
