EU, China, Ukraine congratulate Russia's new PM

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, March 06, 2004

EU, China, Ukraine congratulate Russia's new PM

The European Union (EU), China and Ukraine Friday extended their congratulations to Mikhail Fradkov on his appointment as Russia's new prime minister ahead of the March 14 presidential elections.

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The European Union (EU), China and Ukraine Friday extended their congratulations to Mikhail Fradkov on his appointment as Russia's new prime minister ahead of the March 14 presidential elections.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree appointing Fradkov as the country's new premier Friday, shortly after the State Duma or lower house of the parliament overwhelmingly voted to approve Fradkov's post.

Putin on Monday unexpectedly named Fradkov, a former tax policechief and Russia's envoy to the European Union, as the country's new prime minister after his dramatic dissolution of Mikhail Kasyanov's government on Feb. 24.

Fradkov will form a new government and submit his cabinet nominations soon to Putin.

Shortly after the Russian parliament approved Fradkov as new prime minister, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao sent a message Friday, congratulating Fradkov on his appointment.

On the same day, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana extended warm congratulations to Fradkov on the confirmation by the Duma. Fradkov had served as Russia's envoy to the European Union before he was named as prime minister.

"The appointment was indeed a positive sign for Russia and for the European Union," exclaimed Solana, adding that "it confirms both the importance of our relations and the good prospects for the future."

Solana also saw it as "a privilege" to see "a colleague and friend from Brussels at the head of the government of the Russian Federation," whose "detailed knowledge and extensive experience from working directly with the European Union will be a great asset both for (the Russian) government and for our relations."

He therefore looked forward to "continued good and effective cooperation to the benefit of both the Russian Federation and the European Union."

Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Mikola Azarov also expressed welcome to Fradkov's appointment on Friday and said that this will help to further develop the relations between the two countries.

Fradkov's appointment will make bilateral ties better defined and "more predictable," and will accelerate economic integration among Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus, Azarov said in an interview with Ukraine's national TV station.

Fradkov was born on Sept. 1, 1950 in the Kuibyshev region, now called Samara. He graduated in 1972 from the Moscow Instrument-Building Institute and in 1981 from the Foreign Trade Academy.

Fradkov was appointed Deputy Minister for Foreign Economic Relations in Dec. 1992 and took the office of the First Deputy Minister for Foreign Economic Relations in Oct. 1993.

He served as Minister of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade from Oct. 1997 to 1998, when the ministry was reorganized.

In May 2000, he became First Deputy Secretary of the Security Council and on March 28, 2001, head of the Federal Tax Police Service.

Source: Xinhua

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