Ambassador Beshta briefed the Committee on the history of bilateral relations between Ukraine and the Kingdom of Thailand in different spheres as well as the recent developments, including the official visit of Ukraine’s Foreign Minister H.E. Mr. Pavlo Klimkin to Thailand in 2017. Prospects of strengthening of cooperation between Ukraine and ASEAN had also been discussed, particularly Ukraine’s bid to become an Observer in the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly.

The Committee was informed on the efforts of Ukraine to resist the Russian military aggression that started in 2014 with the temporary occupation of Crimea as well as on the progress of internal reforms in Ukraine.

Discussing the history of Ukraine’s struggle for independence Ambassador drew attention of the Committee to commemoration this year of the 85^th anniversary of the Great Famine (Holodomor) of 1932-1933 in Ukraine that took lives of millions of innocent people. Holodomor was the result of cruel and deliberate policy of totalitarian Stalin’s regime and therefore has been recognized as an act of genocide of the Ukrainian people by almost 20 countries at the parliamentary level.

The Parties expressed confidence in further progressive development of friendly relations and mutually-beneficial cooperation between Ukraine and the Kingdom of Thailand in different areas, including in interparliamentary dialogue.