WARSAW—French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Wednesday he would propose closer ties between the European Union and Ukraine when France takes over the EU's presidency in the second half of this year.
Sarkozy clarified his position at a news conference during a one-day visit to Warsaw after a translation of remarks he made hours earlier wrongly quoted him as saying the partnership could lead to Ukraine's eventual EU membership.
"As head of the European Council I will want to propose an ambitious partnership for Ukraine," Sarkozy told a joint news conference with Polish President Lech Kaczynski which was broadcast live on Polish television.
The Polish-language translation had quoted Sarkozy as adding the partnership could lead to Ukraine's eventual EU accession.
Asked to clarify his views on Ukraine at a later news conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Sarkozy said: "In the present state of affairs (our) concern is not with accession but with a reinforced partnership (for Kiev)."
Poland is a strong supporter of Ukraine's inclusion in both the EU and the NATO defence alliance. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004.
At a meeting in Brussels this week, Poland and Sweden proposed that the EU build an eastern partnership to help former Soviet republics such as Ukraine prepare for eventual membership of the 27-nation bloc.
By contrast, France is traditionally cool about EU expansion and has been among the last of the old member states to open its labour market to workers from the 2004 entrants.
Sarkozy announced the labour market move in Warsaw earlier on Wednesday, four years after Britain and Ireland opened their jobs markets. Germany is now the only large EU member state to retain the labour market restrictions.
Kiev Is 'European"
Ukraine is a relatively poor, sprawling ex-Soviet republic wedged between Poland and Russia, but Sarkozy underlined its geographic and cultural credentials as a European country.
"When we are in Kiev, we are in a European city," he said.
Sarkozy reiterated his support for Ukraine and Georgia to join NATO eventually, despite Russia's strong opposition, adding that the timing would hinge on progress on outstanding problems.
Poland's Tusk said Sarkozy's warm words on Ukraine showed the eastern partnership backed by Warsaw and Stockholm could soon be approved, and said it should not be seen as a rival to plans championed by Sarkozy to boost EU-Mediterranean ties.
"There is no conflict between these two projects, they are complementary," Tusk said.
In an interview published in Wednesday's edition of the Polish newspaper Dziennik, Sarkozy reiterated his long-standing opposition to Turkey joining the EU, making clear he did not see a country which is predominantly Muslim but was founded as a secular state as European.
Turkey, unlike Ukraine, is already a candidate for EU membership and began its entry talks in 2005, though they have slowed sharply amid disputes over Cyprus and human rights.
France and Poland signed a "strategic partnership" on Wednesday covering energy, education and security. Sarkozy said France was keen to help Poland develop nuclear energy to help reduce its heavy reliance on environmentally unfriendly coal.
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