BRUSSELS, October 6 (RIA Novosti, Alexander Shishlo) - The European Union may soon give Ukraine the status of a market economy country on the condition that it fulfils all its obligations to the EU, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said Thursday.
Current progress "will make it possible in the near future to give Ukraine the status of a market economy country," Barroso said after talks with Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuri Yekhanurov in Brussels.
Barroso expressed his hope that at the "EU-Ukraine 1" summit in Kiev in December, "definite results will be attained" in talks on simplifying the visa regime.
The European Commission is ready to begin the talks process, but must first receive approval from all 25 EU member countries, he said.
Barroso also spoke in favor of EU-Ukrainian rapprochement, saying he hoped the country would continue to move forward with reforms.
He said the EU's doors "remain open" to Ukraine.
