Diplomats tour site of controversial Danube Delta canal (09/19/04)

Diplomats tour site of controversial Danube Delta canal

by Myron V. Hirniak
Special to The Ukrainian Weekly

KYIV - International unease erupted on August 24 over Ukraine's construction of a deep-water canal between the Black Sea and the Ukrainian section of the Danube River Delta, due to concerns that it could cause irreversible damage to the area's fragile ecosystem, which is classified as a UNESCO and Ramsar Wetland of International Importance site.

More than 500 protesters, representing 140 non-profit organizations, petitioned the Ukrainian Embassy in Bucharest to reconsider the project, claiming that it could endanger more than 300 bird species living in and around the waterway's delta.

In response to the protests and calls for the immediate halt of all construction activities, on September 10 the Ukrainian government took representatives of 20 diplomatic missions in Ukraine on a personal, on-site tour of the canal's construction and its surrounding environment. Under the mantra of "better to see it once than hear about it a hundred times," Ukraine's ministers of Foreign Affairs, Transportation and Communications, and Environmental Protection were on hand to serve as guides and answer the many questions asked by curious diplomats.

Speaking at the Bystre Estuary, where much of the heavy construction is being performed, Dutch Ambassador Monique Frank noted, "It was very important for me to come and see this project with my own eyes. It became obvious to me that, prior to construction, many project designs were considered and the best one was selected. Prior to this visit, I was convinced that this project was the only one of its kind in the area. Now I know that the Romanians have in fact three similar waterways in existence, and my views on Ukraine's waterway construction have changed drastically. Being from Holland, I know how delicate one must be when balancing the needs of nature versus regional economic development."

Ukrainian proponents of the canal note that a fully functioning (and Ukrainian-owned and operated) Danube River deep-water transportation canal would reap significant economic benefits for Ukraine and position it as an attractive alternative to Romania due to the new canal's significantly less expensive transportation and handling tariffs.

At present, Romania services over 70 percent of all Danube River-based transportation necessities, and Ukraine's ambition to enter this market is causing Bucharest to scramble to find ways to keep its current clientele from signing shipping contracts with Ukraine, say supporters of the new canal.

The Danube River has long served as a vital link between Europe and the Black Sea region. While minuscule when compared to the volume of goods shipped through the Bosphorus Straits, Danube River trade has played an important regional commercial role. According to Ukraine's Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Ukraine hopes to capitalize on its newly constructed waterway by providing less expensive yet higher quality transportation services for vessels carrying goods from the Caspian Sea region to Europe.

Newly signed agreements between Ukraine, Russia, Kazakstan and Iran are already examining ways to use the services available through the Ukrainian deep-water canal to move the named countries' goods into more lucrative markets more quickly, cheaply and under more flexible terms.

Despite the division the Danube project has caused between the two neighboring countries, the Ukrainian government assured its diplomatic guests that relations between Kyiv and Bucharest are and will remain strong. In a statement released by the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 14, Ukraine states that it has abided by all international environmental conventions and has in fact prescreened reactions by sending design plans, blueprints and environmental impact studies to all parties that requested these documents.

The positive reactions and supportive positions of many of the diplomats who participated in last week's Danube tour cast doubt on Romanian and other claims of serious environmental damage and disruption to already existing waterway transportation systems.

According to the Ukrainian government, apart from the regional benefits the deep-water canal project will bring to Ukraine, it will also serve as a vital element in Ukraine's overall Single Economic Space (SES) strategy. Speaking at the ongoing SES summit meetings in Astana, Kazakstan, President Leonid Kuchma urged his counterparts to work quickly to draft legal documents that would form the legal base of the SES. "We must look at effectively using our transport systems," he said. In addition, Mr. Kuchma remarked that the opening of the Danube River Delta canal has dramatically reduced the cost of cargo transportation for Ukraine and Russia.

As with other large infrastructure projects in Ukraine, time will be the ultimate judge on how well Ukraine has maintained the delicate balance between Mother Nature and economic development needs. For now, it appears that the diplomats who inspected the Danube project seized the opportunity to not only see one of Ukraine's most beautiful wetlands but also had a chance to see for themselves the extent to which the project conforms with international environmental standards.

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