Ukraine vying to secure 2022 Winter OlympicsApril 12, 2012 - 18:00 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Ukraine, which in less than two months will co-host the 2012 European football championships, also wants to hold the Winter Olympic Games in 2022, President Viktor Yanukovych announced on Thursday, April 12, AFP reported. Yanukovych told reporters that feasibility studies are being conducted in the west of the country by an Austrian company "with great experience of Winter Olympics projects". Ukraine's west is home to the Carpathian Mountains which reach up to 2,000 metres (6,500 feet) and already has a handful of Alpine skiing resorts, although infrastructure is still quite limited. "This company will deliver the feasibility study at the end of the second quarter and we will be able to understand how much work we need to do (to officially launch Ukraine's candidacy)," he added. Ukraine's ambitious plan comes despite a troubled preparation for its hosting of Euro 2012 which was repeatedly criticised for being behind schedule. "We understand that the success of Euro 2012 will be of great importance for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) when it makes its decision," said Yanukovych. Yanukovych was speaking in western Ukraine's largest city of Lviv where he opened a new airport terminal in time for European championships which start in June. Ukraine's best known winter sports resort is Bukovel outside the city of Ivano-Frankivsk which was built up by private investors and now boasts 50 kilometres of ski pistes. Top stories Armenian gymnast, Olympic bronze medalist Artur Davtyan has reached the finals of the World Cup. Gor Manvelyan has denied reports alleging that he has expressed a desire to one day play for the French national team. Roma midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is not considering FC Spartak Moscow as his next haven, according to fresh reports. 10 Armenian lifters will compete in the 2021 World Championships scheduled to be held from 7 to 17 December in Tashkent. Partner news | Blinken urges Azerbaijan to continue negotiations with Armenia Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to continue negotiations with Armenia. Pashinyan, Blinken talk Armenia-U.S. ties over the phone Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on April 28, Pashinyan’s office reports. Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Azerbaijan must respect human rights, Scholz tells Aliyev German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for greater respect for human rights in Azerbaijan. |