The government of Ukraine will form expert and negotiation groups in the near future to start drawing up a new agreement on a free trade area (FTA) with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) Andriy Kliuyev has said.

"Ukraine supports the creation of a free trade area within the CIS, and we'll make full use of all of its advantages," Kliuyev said.

He added that, according to experts' estimates, the effective use of the free trade area could increase Ukraine's trade with the CIS countries by a third.

Kliuyev also expressed hope that the liberalization of trade would speed up economic growth in the CIS member states. According to him, Ukraine could become a locomotive for economic growth in the post-Soviet territory.

Kliuyev said that Uzbekistan would join the FTA agreement with the CIS in the near future.

He added that the CIS was and will remain an important trade partner of Ukraine. At the same time, Kliuyev said Ukraine is also interested in creating a free trade area with the EU.

Kliuyev mentioned that Ukraine's exports to the CIS were estimated at 37% and to Europe at 25% of the total volume of exports in the first half of 2012.

"Both markets are very important to Ukraine, and we will keep working to expand the presence of Ukrainian companies on them," Kliuyev said.

As reported, on October 3, Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said that all of the necessary documents should be prepared as soon as possible in order to strengthen the practical implementation of the free trade area agreement with the CIS.

The premier added that the agreements on free sales of services and transit via pipeline transportation should be drawn up, talks on reductions of export and import duties should be held, and an inventory of existing agreements should be carried out with the aim of canceling outdated agreements.