Moscow hopes for improved relations with Ukraine in the media sphere as a result of improving bilateral ties, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who came to power in February, has begun fulfilling his promise to improve relations with Russia, which deteriorated during the rule of his pro-Western predecessor Viktor Yushchenko.
Yushchenko's government reduced the presence of Russian television channels in Ukraine by banning several Russian channels in 2008 for not broadcasting in the Ukrainian language.
"We hope the process of restoring mutual understanding and cooperation between the two countries will spread to the media sphere," Lavrov answered in a letter to Russian senators.
"Since the new government came to power there have been improvements in Ukraine's information space; a range of controversial decisions made by the former administration have been overturned," he said.
Lavrov said the issue of expanding Russian media to other countries in the CIS calls for a comprehensive approach, based on conserving a common media space.
MOSCOW, May 13 (RIA Novosti)
