Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) Serhiy Arbuzov, Ukrainian Finance Minister Yuriy Kolobov, Agricultural Policy and Food Minister Mykola Prysiazhniuk, Environment Minister Eduard Stavytsky, Head of the State Tax Administration Oleksandr Klymenko and Head of the State Customs Service Ihor Kaletnik will leave on Tuesday for New York to attend the 67th session of the UN General Assembly, according to the Segodnya newspaper.
"Until the end of this week they will work under their program, and after the arrival in the United States of [Ukrainian President Viktor] Yanukovych, and the second part of the delegation, which is scheduled for September 24, they will participate in the talks at the highest level," the newspaper said.
According to the newspaper's source in the presidential administration, Prysiazhniuk will participate in talks with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, in which the main topic will be sales of Ukrainian grain for the UN humanitarian aid to African countries. Stavytsky will participate in meetings with oil industry officials and Arbuzov and Kolobov will be involved in the talks with the IMF, which are one of the two main objectives of the visit.
"As you know, the cooperation program with the IMF formally continues, although the current government received only one tranche from the fund back in 2010. Over the last two years Kyiv has managed without tranches, but 2013 is approaching - a year of peak payments on the 2008-2009 loans which were raised by the government of former Premier Yulia Tymoshenko. According to our source in the cabinet, we are unlikely to get through this year without the assistance of the IMF, and the government intends to have the crediting resumed. The terms on which it will be possible will be discussed," the Segodnia wrote.
The second main objective of the visit is political, according to the newspaper.
"The Foreign Ministry has the task of organizing a meeting between Yanukovych and [US President] Barack Obama. Whether it will be held or not, we will know at the last minute. But, according to our information, meetings with the leadership of the U.S. State Department will definitely take place," the newspaper said.
