Newspaper says of agreement of Ukraine's associate membership in Russia-led Customs Union, Foreign Ministry refutes this

Kyiv has reached a tentative agreement with Moscow on its associate membership of the Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan Customs Union, according to a source in the Ukrainian government.

"The agreement was reached in consultations between the work groups. Since this format of membership is unprecedented, the rules to regulate it have yet to be set, and that will be done within the coming couple of weeks," the source told the Dzerkalo Tyzhnya (Mirror Weekly). The source said that as an associate member of the Customs Union Ukraine would get access to the Union's documents, and its representatives would be able to study the decision-making practice as observers without the voting right. "The work groups also drafting a program for Ukraine's sector cooperation with the Customs Union. After Kyiv studies the situation within the Customs Union and finally decides on its relations with the European Union, it will have to make the final decision on its possible full accession to the Customs Union," the source said. The Foreign Ministry said on Friday that the format of cooperation between Ukraine and the Customs Union was still "in the works". "Talks on a possible format of Ukraine's cooperation with the Customs Union continue, and it is still too early to speak about any agreements," Foreign Ministry spokesman Yevhen Perebyinis said on Friday. He did not confirm media reports about the talks in Moscow.