尊敬的罗清泉先生、尊敬的李宪生先生：

很高兴出席这一盛会。借此机会，我谨代表基辅市市长亚历桑德拉·奥梅尔琴科及市议会向各位转达诚挚的问候及开展有效合作的良好愿望。我们高度赞赏举办这一论坛，并深信论坛在进一步加强城市间国际关系方面必将产生重要而丰硕的成果。
　　基辅是乌克兰的首都，人口三百万，是经济、历史、文化、建筑、行政和政治中心。在其1500年的历史长河中，众多重要事件发生于此。基辅号称"俄罗斯城市之母"，是俄罗斯、乌克兰和白俄罗斯三个斯拉夫兄弟民族的摇篮。
　　自从1954年基辅市和其第一个友城芬兰的坦皮尔建立友好关系以来，基辅市政府就一直热心于国际交流。
　　中国和乌克兰在经济和科技方面的关系由来已久。1991年，我国独立时，中国是第一个承认乌克兰主权的国家，这是政治上长期保持和睦关系的基础。
基辅已和中国首都北京、也和中国最大的省份之一的首府武汉市建立了友好关系，并十分支持这些关系的发展。
　　基辅对与武汉发展合作关系也兴趣浓厚。我们对于武汉市的同行们开创经济发展区的经验尤其有兴趣，我们想知道他们如何促进生产，如何创造新的工作环境，完善基础设施，并希望他们能使我们了解创造新的投资领域的必要性。基辅在建设地铁和基础设施方面拥有现代技术，随时准备在这一领域进行富有成效的合作。
　　综上所述，我们有充分的理由为有利于双方市民的合作而自豪。我向中国的同行们保证，在实行乌克兰的国际政策中，我们将继续推动和中国的交往。
　　我们认为：一个城市的社会和政治因素不可能是国际友好城市之间关系发展的唯一背景。事实是，当社会与政治方面的因素与经济、文化和人文的交流与合作，各个层次政治领导人的见面和人民外交即普通百姓之间的接触与交流和谐地融为一体，友城之间的发展就有了坚实的基础。因为有了各种广泛的交流，我们的友好城市可以更多地了基辅。基辅市人民通过广泛的国际交往和交流，也使世界各地的人民更好地了解我们民族的文化财富：如舞蹈、文学、戏剧和电影艺术等。
　　其他城市举办"基辅文化日"是实现我们与世界其他地方文化交流与合作的一种有益方式，这也得到了时间的证明。
　　我们认为，友城关系进一步的发展还需要我们更大的努力。国际间合作的加强也可以通过各种体育代表团的交流与互访、传统与新型体育活动的组织和安排来实现。
　　一个城市发展的基石是经济；同样在发展友城关系的过程中，经济作用同样也取决于友城的经济状况。无论是在欧洲，亚洲还是美洲，城市管理往往会因为外部经济环境的变化、经济结构的调整和劳动力资源的流动等而不得不面临经济发展的滞患和城市生态环境的恶化等问题。
　　我们也可以在城市市政府的监督和指导下在国外城市设立代表处，从而加强城市间的直接经济合作。他们可以帮助我们的企业进一步扩大经济间的交往与合作。
　　我们认为国际友城间专业人士间合作的最佳方式是城市政府间签订专门的协议, 并通过有针对性的访问来巩固它们。时间证明，这样的方式较之两到四天的短期访问要高效得多。
　　今年是国际间倡议建立友好城市关系的六十周年。时间充分证明这种举措的生机和活力，也使友城合作的主题、合作的形式、合作的规模发生了种种的变化。新世纪、新形势对现阶段国际友城间的合作再次提出了要求，也提供了机遇。相信我们能够在最终的友城协议中找到合适的途径或方式，为推动二十一世纪国际友城间的战略合作作出重要贡献，并使这种合作方式成为我们国际间合作的长期计划。
　　最后，谢谢各位聆听我的发言，同时我也很高兴地邀请与会的各位访问我们美丽的城市基辅！


by Vice Mayor of Kiev, UkraineSpeech

Being present at such a big quorum it is a pleasure for me to convey to everyone the sincere greetings and best wishes of fruitful cooperation on behalf of the Mayor of the city of Kiev Olexandr Omelchenko and our city council. We highly appreciate the initiative of holding such a Forum and are deeply confident in importance and effectiveness of the results that will emerge for further strengthening of international relations on the city level.
I represent the City of Kiev-the capital of Ukraine, which has a population of three million. It is a large economic, historical, culturally-architectural, administrative and political center with the history rich for interesting events of more than one thousand and five hundred years. It is called by right " mother of Russian cities" and also the cradle of three brother Slav peoples - Russians, Ukrainians and Byelorussians.
Since 1954, when the friendly relations with the first foreign city - Tampere in Finland were set, Kiev city authority traditionally carries out energetic international activity.
China and Ukraine are linked by old economic and scientific and technical relations. In 1991.when our State became independent, China was the first state, which acknowledged a state sovereignty of Ukraine. It was the strong foundation of long-term political amity.
Kiev had established and is actively supporting the friendly relations with the capital of China-Beijing and also with the capital of one of the biggest provinces-the City of Wuhan.
Development of cooperation with Wuhan is of great interest for Kiev. We are highly interested in the experience of Wuhan’s colleagues in creating special economic zones in the meaning of promoting the production, creating new working places, development of infrastructure and shows the conditions that are necessary to create on the territory for attracting the investment.
Kiev owns modern technologies in the spheres of constructing subway and development of its infrastructure and is ready for fruitful cooperation in this field.
Therefore we have all the grounds for being proud of our cooperation that is of benefit to inhabitants of our cities. Let me assure our Chinese colleagues that we will further promote the Chinese direction in the international policy of Ukraine.
I think, all of you will agree with me that in spite of all its importance the social and political aspect cannot be sole background of development of international relations between cities. It is rather a core round which the collaboration in all its aspects and forms lines up, when the social and political component is harmoniously complemented by economic, cultural and humanitarian ones, and meeting of political leaders of all levels by people diplomacy", that is by contacts of ordinary citizens. Thanks to such contacts habitants of towns with which the friendly relations are set by us, hear more about Kiev. Actions, that inhabitants of Kiev conduct abroad, acquaint them with our national cultural property: dancing collectives, art masterpieces, theater, and cinematographic art.
Conducting days of Kiev culture in a definite town is a comfortable form of realization of cultural collaboration that is tested by the time.
A perspective direction, which, in our opinion, needs some further activation, there is an international cooperation that includes an exchange by the sporting delegations, conduct of traditional and organization of new sporting actions.
Base of development of cities is their economy and this determines the role of economic component in development of friendly relations between cities. In Europe, in Asia, in America -everywhere - city administrations constantly face a problem of breaking an economic development through the change of external conditions, structural changes in economy, migration of labor resources, worsening an ecological situation in cities.
Perspective form of direct economic collaboration between cities is creation of the special foreign representative offices under the aegis of city administrations. They have to assist in expansion of contacts between enterprises.
In our view, optimum form of organization of collaboration at level of specialists is special purpose agreement between the city administrations, that foresee two or three weeks’ internship at colleagues’ place with the following visit in reply. The practice testifies that at such approach effectiveness is higher, than in the case of short-term visits for 2-4 days.
This year is sixty-anniversary of creation of the motion of sister-cities. Time itself proved the viability of this undertaking. With years the collaboration themes changed, his forms transformed, scales increased or diminished. The new century again suggests point about the role of international cooperation of cities at the modern stage. I think all they will find proper reflection in final agreement which will bring its important contribution in forming a strategy of development of international collaboration at level of cities in the twenty first century and shall become a program of our cooperation.
I would like to thank for your attention and, with great pleasure, to invite all of you visit our beautiful city Kiev.