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Ukrainian President hopes for Dutch solidarity in referendum on key EU treaty

Xinhua, November 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

Ukraine wishes to have the solidarity of the Netherlands in the forthcoming referendum on a key treaty between the European Union(EU) and Ukraine, announced visiting Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko after meeting with Dutch Prime minister Mark Rutte here on Thursday.

Poroshenko said the treaty between Ukraine and the EU is very important for the Ukrainian people and has nothing to do with EU membership. "It's about democracy, freedom and anti-corruption. Nobody can go against these," he said.

In 2014,the EU and Ukraine signed an Association Agreement (AA) that constitutes a new state in the development of EU-Ukraine contractual relations, aiming at political association and economic integration. It will enter into force once all EU Member States, in addition to Ukraine, have ratified it.

A campaign in the Netherlands gathered enough supporters for a referendum to be held on this treaty. The Dutch legislation allows "advisory referendums" on controversial topics, if supporters gather 300,000 signatures.

The referendum is scheduled for April 6. At least 30 percent of the electorate must vote in the referendum for it to be declared valid.

Rutte reiterated that the Dutch government will only take a position once the referendum outcome is known. He also emphasized that ratification of the AA does not mean EU membership for Ukraine. "We have this sort of agreements with countries in South America and the Middle East. They are also not about to become EU member," he told Dutch television NOS.

Poroshenko is in the Netherlands for a two-day visit. He will also meet Dutch King Willem-Alexander. It is his first visit to the Netherlands since he took office last year. Enditem