27.12.2005 Ukraine, Kiev. The President of Ukraine Viktor Yushenko (left), head of Naftogas of Ukraine " Alexei Ivchenko (the second at the left), the First Deputy of State Secretary of Ukraine Ivan Vasjunyk (the second on the right), Prime Minister of Ukraine Jury Ekhanurov (on the right) are discussion the gas prices.
Photo: Michael Markiv
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Ukraine Pressed Against the Border
// Russia threatens to shift gas confrontation in territorial one
Yesterday, for the first time of gas confrontation with Ukraine, Moscow used an argument that looks like a threat to use a force. Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Ivanov indicated that reconsideration of agreements about Russian Black Sea Fleet by Ukraine can lead Moscow to review an agreement about borders. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushenko tried to calm down heightened tension and called Vladimir Putin. It is possible that Yushenko offered his Russian counterpart to have a summit in the beginning of January. However, Kremlin said that such meeting “is not on the schedule of Russian president.”
As a response for price increase for Russian gas, Kiev threatened to raise the rent payment for Crimean base of Russian Black Sea Fleet. Ukraine announced its intention to audit all property used by Russian navy in Ukraine.
This week, commanders of Russian Black Sea Fleet announced about canceling a practice of sub-leasing objects of the navy on Ukrainian territory. This decision will harm mostly Crimean entrepreneurs, who were renting naval properties.
Also, yesterday Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov said about impossibility to reconsider Russian-Ukrainian agreement for Black Sea Fleet, which is good through 2017. The second part of this agreement has a paragraph about integrity of the two countries’ borders. The minister underlined said: “If Kiev will attempt to make revisions of the agreement, Moscow might reconsider the part about the border integrity agreement. Ivanov specifically pointed out that Russia might have to raise the issue about ownership of Crimean peninsula, which was given as a gift to Ukraine by Nikita Khrushev.
Moscow already started mobilization campaign for friendly pro-Russian forces in Crimea. In the end of last week, Grigory Karasin, Deputy Foreign Minister of RF, was in Crimea and met there with local political leaders and heads of patriotic organizations.
In the mean time, words of Russian Defense Minister created a wave of various emotions in Kiev – from angry uproar to peace making offers.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Anatoly Gritsenko stated that Kiev is not going to change conditions of the agreement about Black Sea Fleet. He also excluded any single-handed actions of Ukraine in that direction.
However, Boris Bespaly, Deputy of Supreme Rada and member of pro-presidential faction “Our Ukraine”, “demanded” from Russian authorities to react on the statement of Sergey Ivanov.
Yuri Kluchkovsky, Permanent Presidential Envoy in Rada, said: “If he (Ivanov-Kommersant) talks about reconsideration of the agreement, he can be considered as aggressor from the UN point of view.
To calm down the situation, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushenko called Vladimir Putin on the phone and tried to explain the situation. He assured Russian President that Ukraine will follow conditions of the agreement about Russian Black Sea Fleet.
After phone conversation between two presidents, Secretary of Ukrainian Security Council Anatoly Kinakh said that Yushenko and Putin made a decision to have urgent summit after New Year. However, Press Secretary of Russian President Alexei Gromov immediately denied this statement and said that meeting with Viktor Yushenko is not in the schedule of Russian President.”
Vladimir Soloviev
All the Article in Russian as of Dec. 28, 2005
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