Ukrainian President meets with UN Secretary-General

Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, currently in Kiev, expressed the hope that the Alma-Ata conference for cooperation and trust building measures in Asia will outline ways of easing the Indian-Pakistani tensions.

"Every step, aimed at easing the tensions, can be considered positive," Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma told a press conference, following the talks with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

According to Kofi Annan, he maintains permanent contacts with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. They are wise people and they understand that no one needs a nuclear war, Kofi Annan said.

Leonid Kuchma and Kofi Annan hope that the Pakistani President and Indian Prime Minister will meet in Alma-Ata.