BRUSSELS, Jan 24 (AFP) - The European Union responded cautiously Monday to Ukraine's stated desire to join the expanding bloc, pledging to deepen ties but stressing it is premature to discuss Kiev's application for full EU membership.
A day after pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko's inauguration, the EU executive did not rule out eventual consideration of an EU membership bid, but warned the ex-Soviet state must first prove it can meet European standards.
"We are of course aware that Ukraine would like to see a more concrete prospect of moving towards Europe," said a spokeswoman for the EU commission in Brussels.
"But there's not yet been a decision taken on this subject," she added.
Yushchenko, finally sworn in Sunday as Ukraine's president after two months of political turmoil, made no bones about his aim of leading his country into the European club.
"Our place is in the European Union," he said on Sunday during his inauguration speech. "My goal is Ukraine in a united Europe. Our road to the future is the road of a united Europe."
But the EU commission stressed that for the moment its ties with Ukraine will remain within the framework of its so-called neighborhood policy, which pledges privileged relations but stops short of EU entry.
"The neighbourhood policy is not an enlargement policy," said Emma Udwin, a spokeswoman for EU external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
"But it is an instrument which will certainly, if both sides are committed enough to it, deepen significantly the relationship between the EU and the Ukraine," she added.
She said that the EU commission will present a list of 10 ways of boosting ties with Ukraine to a regular meeting of EU foreign ministers next Monday in Brussels.
But she warned that further progress -- including the possibility of a new bilateral action plan -- was "always... on condition that Ukraine keeps its side of the bargain" by addressing political priorities demanded by the EU.
Yushchenko was sworn in in Kiev Sunday after Ukraine's top court threw out appeals made by Moscow-friendly outgoing prime minister Viktor Yanukovich about the December 26 elections.
Last month's polls were a re-run of November elections which initially gave victory to Yanukovich, sparking a prolonged crisis involving huge street protests and widespread expressions of international concern.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who played a key role in mediating an end to the political crisis which followed rigged November elections, has welcomed Yushchenko's inauguration.
But earlier this month Solana said that Ukraine's success in achieving its ambitions ultimately depends on Kiev's ability to introduce genuine democratic reforms.
"The EU's position is clear: we believe that there are new and important opportunities to reinforce our ties even further," said Solana, who met key Ukrainian leaders in Kiev on the eve of the weekend polls.
But he warned: the future quality of our relations will largely depend on the quality of Ukraine's democracy and domestic reforms."
The EU expanded from 15 to 25 members last year, while Romania and Bulgaria aim to join in 2007. Croatia and Turkey are also on track, while a handful of other Balkan states have also been promised consideration for EU entry.
01/24/2005 13:49 GMT - AFP