KIEV, Sept. 24 - The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has said that it sees no grounds to stop the free trade regime between Ukraine and CIS countries if Kiev signs the Association Agreement with the European Union.

"Ukraine is currently a party to the agreement on the CIS free trade area, and this agreement is still in force. Obviously, when the issue concerned benefits for Ukraine, this agreement was the one most likely being referred to. We do not see any grounds that it could in some way cease its effect with respect to Ukraine," Foreign Ministry spokesman Yevhen Perebyinis said at a briefing on Tuesday, while commenting on a statement made by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev that a special partnership regime with Ukraine will be stopped after the country signs the Association Agreement with the EU.