MFA plays down charges of Russia
The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine has called “groundless” the accusations of the Foreign Ministry of Russia that as if Ukraine unilaterally introduced changes concerning the stay of the Russian Black Sea fleet at the Ukrainian territory.
According to an UNIAN correspondent, Victor Semenov, deputy chairman of the Ukrainian part of the sub-commission for Russian Black Sea Fleet issues of the Ukrainian-Russian inter-state commission, claimed this to a press conference on Thursday.
He noted that such serious questions are solved not through mass media but in the course of talks.
According to him, the issue of crossing the Ukrainian border by Russian BSF and its movement has many times been discussed at sessions of working groups, as well as at sessions of the sub-commission.
“It is no new issue for the Russian side”, the diplomat said, adding that this accusation “is going too far”.
V.Semenov disclosed that Ukraine had proposed the Russian side to hold a session of all working groups of the sub-commission in July, and to hold a final session of the sub-commission in the end of July – the beginning of august.
According to him, the Russian side refused to carry out the sessions. In this connection, V.Semenov called the behavior of the Russian side “unintelligible”.
As UNIAN reported earlier, on August 13, Ukraine`s president claimed Russian navy ships that were deployed to the Georgian coast will need authorization to return to the base Russia leases from Ukraine.
Viktor Yushchenko`s decree Wednesday requires Russia`s Black Sea Fleet to submit a request to return to its base in the Crimea 10 working days before its planned return.
The Russian navy squadron was deployed to Georgia`s coast as part of Russia`s onslaught on Georgia beginning last week.
Under a 1997 lease agreement, Russia`s Black Sea Fleet is permitted remain in the port of Sevastopol through 2017, but Ukrainian officials have said they want it out after that.