MOSCOW, Oct. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Visiting Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma said on Saturday that Ukraine and Russia should work hard to ease their customs procedures, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

    "It is very important to ease the procedure on the border," Kuchma said during his meeting with Russia President Vladimir Putin.

    Kuchma called for using "a principle based on one bill." He explained that a price of goods differs under a bill of each side.

    "Under a bill used by each country, the price may differ when you cross the border," the Ukrainian president said.

    Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov replied, "We can understand step by step that rules should common on the border in order to avoid unfair competition."

    "We believe that by Oct. 22 we'll work out our positions. We'replanning to sign a series of inter-governmental agreements on new conditions by December," said Fradkov.

    During the meeting, Putin said Ukraine is one of key partners for Russia, and "We all want Ukraine to be strong and prosperous."

    As for the upcoming presidential election in Ukraine, Putin said: "We'll respect any choice by the Ukrainian people. The Ukrainian people should decide if positive tendencies are reinforced in the economic development." Enditem