The question of granting Ukraine the status of observer in the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan will be discussed at a meeting between Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and the presidents of the Customs Union countries in late May 2013, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov has said.

"We're planning to gain observer status in the Customs Union, create Ukraine's permanent representative office to the Customs Union commission, and actively participate in the discussion of all decisions that are prepared by the leadership of this commission," he wrote on his page on Facebook, while communicating with users on Friday.

"These issues will be discussed at the end of May at a meeting between our president and the presidents of the Customs Union countries," Azarov said.

He noted that the Ukrainian government had also set up a special group that studies the legal framework of the Customs Union and which concrete agreement Ukraine could join to join the union, and on what terms.

As reported, President Yanukovych said on April 5 that Ukraine hopes to obtain the status of an observer in the Customs Union and then start considering a number of documents for participation in the union's work.

"Ukraine as an observer might begin considering the provisions of the Customs Union, and their number exceeds 200. All of these provisions have to undergo internal state procedures, and this requires time. Ukraine, on receiving the status of an observer, might get access to these documents, and we'll start considering them," Yanukovych said at a meeting with Kazakhstan's Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov.

He said that Ukraine continued to maintain the position that it could cooperate with the Customs Union as an observer.

"We're greatly concerned about the process of normalizing relations with the Customs Union, and I presented our latest proposals on the format of our relations at a meeting with the Russian president in Moscow. At the current stage, we see the format in the status of an observer," Yanukovych said.

"We're in favor of finding mutually acceptable solutions that would expand our capabilities and create opportunities for the free promotion of our goods and services," the president said.