Russia urged talks with Ukraine to resolve lingering issues on
the Black Sea Fleet on Wednesday amid a dispute between the two
former Soviet republics over a lighthouse linked to the fleet.
"It is encouraging that ... there have been voices in favor of
resuming active Russian-Ukrainian dialogue to resolve issues
regarding the stationing of the Black Sea Fleet on the Crimea
peninsula based on mutual trust and without playing politics," the
Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Moscow is ready for a constructive exchange of views with Kiev
when the Russia-Ukraine subcommission on the fleet meets in early
February, the ministry said.
Russia and Ukraine signed an accord in 1997 on dividing up the
Soviet Black Sea Fleet. Under the deal, Russia leases the
Sevastopol port in Ukraine's Crimea peninsula to base its ships
until 2017.
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Last week, a Ukrainian state company seized a lighthouse in the
Crimean city of Yalta that serves the fleet and denied Russian
servicemen access to it.
Russian navy officials accused Ukraine of violating the lease
agreement that allows the Black Sea Fleet to use Ukraine's
facilities.
After Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko took power in late
2004, relations between the two countries have become increasingly
strained. Ukrainian officials have on many occasions hinted at a
hike of the lease fees to bring them in line with the payments
other governments make to house military bases abroad.
(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2006)
