Black Sea Fleet still an issue in Ukrainian-Russian relations (08/11/96)

Black Sea Fleet still an issue in Ukrainian-Russian relations

by Marta Kolomayets
Kyiv Press Bureau

KYIV - The basing of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopil remains a stumbling block in Ukrainian-Russian negotiations and continues to delay the signing of a large-scale treaty on friendship and cooperation, according to Ukraine's Foreign Affairs Minister Hennadiy Udovenko, who met with Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov in Moscow on August 1-2.

Mr. Udovenko told reporters at a regular weekly press briefing at the Foreign Affairs Ministry on August 6 that his two days of meetings with Russian government officials were geared to provide a "fresh incentive to Russian-Ukrainian dialogue and bilateral relations," which have been stalled not only because of the unresolved status of the Black Sea Fleet, but also because of presidential elections in Russia, and the debate and adoption of the new Constitution in Ukraine.

Mr. Udovenko said that he and Mr. Primakov had agreed to step up the pace of high-level negotiations on trade and economic relations and to start consultations on legally defining the Ukrainian-Russian state borders.

In the course of his meetings with Mr. Primakov, Russian Presidential Aide Dmitri Ryurikov and National Security Council Secretary Alexander Lebed in Moscow, Mr. Udovenko suggested that talks on the Black Sea Fleet's basing be resumed right after President Boris Yeltsin's inauguration in the Kremlin on August 9.

"I proposed that these talks not be put off until the autumn, but resume at the expert level as soon as possible," he said.

He also expressed hope that the presidents of Ukraine and Russia could meet in Moscow, during Mr. Yeltsin's inauguration ceremonies.

"The absence of a settlement on the Black Sea Fleet is a certain impediment to the development of Ukrainian-Russian relations," said the Ukrainian diplomat in Moscow.

However, the Ukrainian president's press service said on August 8 that a meeting between the two presidents on August 9 - which is also President Kuchma's 58th birthday - was highly unlikely given the nature of the festivities at the Kremlin.

Despite the fact that the presidents of Ukraine and Russia are not scheduled to discuss bilateral relations on August 9, Russian Foreign Minister Primakov told Interfax-Ukraine that "the time is ripe to sign a Russian-Ukrainian Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation."

He reaffirmed Russia's position that such a treaty can only be signed after the Black Sea Fleet problem is settled. Mr. Primakov said this is "of paramount significance for Russia both in military and political, as well as psychological, terms."

The Ukrainian government has reaffirmed its consent to lease a Sevastopil naval base to Russia's Black Sea Fleet. But Mr. Udovenko has made it clear on a number of occasions that Russia's intention to turn Sevastopil into a base exclusively for the Russian Fleet is unacceptable to Ukraine.

"The point at issue may only be a joint basing of both fleets in Sevastopil, which is not in conflict with the Sochi accords signed last year," according to a press release issued by the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Indeed, even the newly adopted Constitution of Ukraine (Article 14 in the transitional provisions), states: "The use of existing military bases on the territory of Ukraine for the temporary deployment of foreign military formations is permissible on the basis of leasing terms described in international treaties of Ukraine, ratified by the Supreme Rada of Ukraine."

Problems are political

While Ukrainian and Russian diplomats are laying the groundwork for the signing of a large-scale bilateral treaty, Ukrainian Navy Adm. Volodymyr Bezkorovainy has been demanding that Ukraine re-negotiate the agreement dividing the Black Sea Fleet, saying that the 54 vessels handed over to Ukraine are inoperative.

He told reporters at a news conference in Kyiv on August 4 that the Russians make the ships useless and then transfer them to the Ukrainian Navy, citing such examples as the removal of power generators from three submarines before transferring them to the Ukrainian fleet. Adm. Bezkorovainy said it was senseless to accept the ships since they were nothing but scrap metal, and added that he would remove his signature from documents regarding the division of the Black Sea Fleet (in the second stage) signed by the Russian and Ukrainian defense ministers (back then it was still Pavel Grachev and Valeriy Shmarov, respectively) in March.

Adm. Bezkorovainy was then severely criticized by Adm. Viktor Kravchenko, commander of the Black Sea Fleet, who accused the Ukrainian naval commander of making political statements criticizing his own political leaders.

"Despite the Ukrainian Navy commander's attempts to reverse the negotiating process on the Black Sea Fleet by making flimsy statements, the efforts of the presidents of the two states are sure to be crowned with success," said Adm. Kravchenko.

Adm. Bezkorovainy, concerned with the lack of progress in BSF talks and the Russian fleet's claims to Sevastopil, said the Ukrainian Navy plans to move ahead, building their own six new warships (small, with crews of 70 to 80 men) and repairing nine others that they hope to get back into service soon.

Other issues to be resolved

Mr. Udovenko told reporters that the first round of Ukrainian-Russian talks on the delineation of borders has been slated for August 13-14. He told reporters that he stressed the need for a delineation of borders during talks in Moscow.

"Every independent state has its own borders," he explained, noting that the aim of delineating borders is "to seal border lines on the map, rather to complicate exchanges between people."

Mr. Udovenko reported that Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko would soon visit Russia, perhaps even as early as mid-August, and that the Russian prime minister may pay a return visit to Kyiv.

Lastly, he discussed relations with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, noting that Ukraine, as a non-aligned country, has no intention of joining NATO or the Tashkent collective security agreement, and that Ukraine will do its utmost to prevent the appearance of nuclear weapons on the territories of neighboring states. He underscored Ukraine's concern over the possible deployment of nuclear weapons in states currently seeking NATO membership.

However, Foreign Minister Udovenko did state that "Ukraine is and will remain in close cooperation with NATO."

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