Yushchenko Wants Ukraine in EU

Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko has urged the EU to accept Ukraine as a member and has set out a four-point plan to achieve this goal. In an interview with Britain's Financial Times over the weekend, Yushchenko said, "Of course, Ukraine is waiting for concrete steps in response to these democratic and political processes that are occurring in Ukraine. We are awaiting analogous steps from the European Union." Ukraine should first be acknowledged as a market economy, then join the World Trade Organization, he said. Then the country should be admitted first as an associate member, then a full member of the EU. The EU has so far not entertained the prospect of Ukrainian membership, although a spokeswoman said recently that the EU's door "was always open." Yushchenko will compete in a re-run of Ukraine's flawed election on Dec. 26 and is the favorite to win. (EUobserver.com)