Session of Subcommission on Issues of Functioning of Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation and Its Stationing on Territory of Ukraine

Unofficial translation from Russian

PRESS RELEASE

The first session of the Subcommission on the Issues of the Functioning of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation and Its Stationing on the Territory of Ukraine, which is part of the Russian-Ukrainian Interstate Commission headed by the Presidents of Russia and Ukraine, took place in Kyiv on February 14.

State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Grigory Karasin headed up the Russian part of the Subcommission, and First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Volodymyr Ogryzko the Ukrainian.

During the session of the Subcommission, the range of problems related to the stationing of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation on Ukraine's territory was substantively discussed. In particular, discussions centered on the elaboration of a mechanism of rotation (replacement) of Black Sea Fleet armaments, on navigational/hydrographic support to ensure navigation safety in the Black and Azov Seas, on dealing with land-and-property relations issues stemming from the division of the Black Sea Fleet of the USSR between Russia and Ukraine, on ensuring ecological safety in the places of deployment of the Black Sea Fleet and on the jurisdiction and legal status of the Black Sea Fleet servicemen and members of their families on Ukrainian territory.

The discussion proceeded through an open comparison of the sides' positions with an understanding of the importance of finding solutions to the problems that arise on a basis of reciprocity and in a spirit of good-neighborliness.

At the end of the discussion, agreement was reached to establish working groups: on military-political issues; on issues of jurisdiction, mutual legal assistance and the legal status of the Russian Black Sea Fleet servicemen and members of their families on the territory of Ukraine; on navigational/hydrographic support of navigation safety in the Black and Azov Seas; on the inventory of the plots of land and units of property leased to the Black Sea Fleet; on dealing with controversial property issues related to the division of the Black Sea Fleet of the former USSR; and on ensuring ecological safety and ecological control in the places of basing of the Black Sea Fleet on the territory of Ukraine.

It was agreed that the working groups would be formed by March 1.

The second session of the Subcommission on the Issues of the Functioning of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation and Its Stationing on the Territory of Ukraine will take place in Moscow in April.

February 16, 2006