Visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart Borys Tarasyuk pledged Wednesday to improve relations between their countries.

"We expect these relations to develop on the basis of good-neighborliness, equality, mutual respect and benefit," Lavrov said after the meeting with Tarasyuk.

Russia was satisfied with the agreements reached with Ukraine in such fields as trade and energy, said the Russian minister.

The two sides also reached consensus on deepening cooperation in such areas as transportation, industry, agriculture and aviation, he added.

Tarasyuk said Ukraine and Russia, as strategic partners, would push forward bilateral relations on the basis of practicability and goodwill.

The two sides have signed an agreement on border-crossing for residents living in border areas, while negotiations on signing an agreement on immigration has also been completed, said Tarasyuk.

Lavrov, who arrived in Kiev on Tuesday for a two-day visit to Ukraine, also met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovitch.

Yanukovitch praised the improvement of ties between Ukraine and Russia under his government, saying Kiev would keep improving them in the interests of his country.

He also hoped that both countries would squarely face their problems in the course of cooperation and solve them actively.

(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2006)