Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko
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Ukraine Will Leave Russian Fleet Alone
Ukraine does not plan to dissolve the agreement on the Russian Black Sea Fleet base in Sevastopol and force the fleet to leave the Crimea before 2017, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko announced at a press conference for foreign media. Yushchenko said that Ukraine is only insisting that problems connected with the presence of the military of other states on its territory be solved.
“It cannot be that a Russian tank or armored vehicle leaves Kerch in the Crimea and travels through three of our regions without anyone even informing the Ukrainian authorities. It cannot be that Russian sailors temporarily renting territory from us build something there without us knowing or rent it out to unknown parties,” Yushchenko said. “By the beginning of October 2008, we will introduce principle of supervision over the actions of the Black Sea Fleet.”
Yushchenko had said earlier that the fleet based in Sevastopol presents a threat to Ukrainian security. “We are concerned about the use of the Black Sea Fleet in conflicts with third countries,” he said. The Ukrainian government approved a resolution at the end of last month on the crossing of the Ukrainian border by military personnel, military ships or flying apparatus of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Under the decree, the fleet is to receive Ukrainian permission for airplanes or troops to cross the border. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev countered that Russia is prepared to take part in negotiations with Ukraine on the Black Sea Fleet, but only on the basis of international agreements, and Ukraine cannot tell Russia how to behave in regard to the fleet.
www.kommersant.com
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