(PARIS) - The European Union and Ukraine will negotiate an association accord to be finalised in 2009, a joint statement said Tuesday, but there was no mention of Ukraine's membership in the bloc.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country holds the EU presidency, said "this association accord does not close any avenues."

"It is the maximum that we could do and I believe that it is already an essential step," he said.

Text and Picture Copyright 2008 AFP. All other Copyright 2008 EUbusiness Ltd. All rights reserved. This material is intended solely for personal use. Any other reproduction, publication or redistribution of this material without the written agreement of the copyright owner is strictly forbidden and any breach of copyright will be considered actionable.