Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said here Thursday that his country and Romania would like to work together to explore their shared Black Sea shelves for oil and natural gas.

Yushchenko made the remarks at a news conference after talks with his Romanian counterpart Traian Basescu, who arrived in Kiev Thursday for a two-day visit.

The meeting conceived a new commission which will deal with such issues as security, regional development, humanitarian operations and Black Sea shelves demarcation, Yushchenko said.

The two countries will solve all problems relating to their bilateral ties through diplomatic means, he added.

During the meeting, the two presidents also exchanged views on regional cooperation and bilateral relations, said Yushchenko, adding that they shared a similar stance on regional policies.

Basescu said he was very interested in the idea of jointly exploring the natural resources in the Black Sea, a proposal which will be studied further by the commission.

He also said Ukraine has Romania's backing over its bid to join the united system of Euro-Atlantic collective security.

Source: Xinhua