SIMFEROPOL, October 15 (RIA Novosti) - The speaker of Ukraine's parliament urged the ex-Soviet state on Thursday to resume talks with its neighbors on the establishment of a single economic space within the CIS.

Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan announced plans to set up a single economic space in February 2003, but the process has been stalled over Kiev's reluctance to join a customs union. Talks were suspended when President Viktor Yushchenko came to power in 2005.

"Taking into account the difficult economic situation, Ukraine should initiate the resumption of talks on establishing a single economic space with Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and any other ex-Soviet republics interested in this," Volodymyr Lytvyn said.

He added that Ukraine would not be able to find a way out of its current economic problems without cooperating with Russia, which accounts for 35% of Ukraine's foreign trade.