No Russian Naval Base in Crimea After 2017 — Ukraine

MosNews ^ | 14.04.2005

[Lukasz]

The Russian Black Sea Fleet will no longer be deployed in Crimea after the year 2017, the first deputy foreign minister of Ukraine, Vladimir Ogryzko, said in Sevastopol.

Ukraine will see to it that the base of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation “can move to another location without any problems.”

However, in the course of the next 12 years Ukraine is set to honor its agreements with Moscow. “Ukraine has always been and will remain a reliable international partner and will observe the treaties signed,” the Ukrainian diplomat said.

An earlier withdrawal of Russia’s fleet from the Crimea is only possible at Moscow’s initiative, the mayor’s office of Sevastopol told the RBC.ru Web site.

Vladimir Ogryzko heads an intergovernmental group set up to monitor the Russian-Ukrainian agreement on the temporary deployment of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Ukraine. The group will inspect a large number of facilities and to discuss lease and sublease agreements involving them, he said.

The issue of the Black Sea Fleet’s deployment in the Crimea was first raised after Ukraine announced its plans to join NATO. Some observers believe that the deployment of the Russian fleet in Ukraine could stall the implementation of those plans.

Meanwhile, President Viktor Yushchenko said that the deployment of the Russian fleet in Ukraine would not impede Ukraine’s integration in the EU and NATO.

The Black Sea Fleet is deployed in Sevastopol in line with a treaty between the two states signed in 1997.

[Lukasz]

14 April

Ukraine can reckon on invitation to enter NATO

Ukraine can get an invitation to enter NATO to the end of this month. According to the minister of foreign affairs of Lithuania Anastas Valionis, the forthcoming summit of Foreign Ministers of NATO in Vilnius, planned on April 21, the commission "Ukraine-NATO" will approve the plan of actions concerning future Ukraine’s joining the alliance. Valionis reported that the prospects of Georgia’s entrance NATO would be also discussed, but "only Ukraine can wait for decision to join NATO".

As for Ukraine’s membership in European Union, the head of MFA of Lithuania said "Ukraine’s friends must continue working inside EU itself and propose decisions which can satisfy all Europe, including Ukraine", RIA "Novosty" reported.

Valionis declared that his aim is "to seek constant dialogue between EU and Ukraine, which will bring to Ukraine’s membership in Union".

[Lukasz]

Eastern European ping list

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FRmail me to be added or removed from this Eastern European ping list ping list.

[Semper Paratus]

Catherine the Great would be pissed!

[Lukasz]

Well, previous map is bad, Crimea and Sevastopol belongs to Ukraine not Russia.

[Lukasz]

Catherine the Great would be pissed!

and few other tyrants too…

[Cowboy Bob]

There was talk a few years ago of the Russians building a naval base just south of Novorossiysk.

[Lukasz]

I think that they are doing this.

[franksolich]

Well, it's long past time for the Russians, the little brothers of the Ukrainians, to get out of Ukraine.

I used to secretly laugh, when in Ukraine, at any notion the Ukrainians were "Little Russians," because at least in the history books I read, the Ukrainian language and culture is much more ancient than the Russian.

Nothing against the Russians; wonderful people, the Russians--but it is long past time they acknowledged their cultural debt to the Ukrainians.

Is Sochi in Russia a good place for a Russian naval base, or is it all wrong (never been to Sochi; just heard of it).

[Lukasz]

Nothing against the Russians; wonderful people, the Russians--but it is long past time they acknowledged their cultural debt to the Ukrainians.

I can imagine that few people in this forum would argue with you about that. :)

Is Sochi in Russia a good place for a Russian naval base, or is it all wrong (never been to Sochi; just heard of it).

Well, I’m not specialist in this issues, but I read somewhere that in the Russian part of the Black Sea coast there is no really good places for such bases even Noworosyjsk cannot be compared with Sevastopol.

[franksolich]

Well, that's an interesting thing about this most-excellent Eastern European ping list, partner.

No matter where one puts his foot--even if inside his own mouth--he steps on someone else's toes.

Say something nice about a Croatian, and the Serbs jump all over this hapless bystander.

Say something nice about a Serb, and the Croatians jump all over this innocent person.

It's really interesting.

[Lukasz]

and now try to say something nice about a Albanian, geez :-)

BTW Recently Poland won soccer game with Azerbaijan 8:0 and I checked what was the reaction in the Azerbaijani soccer forum and what I saw? Few enormously happy Armenians and few angry Azers, I think that more angry because of Armenian happiness that because of high defeat. World is funny.

[WoofDog123]

Some people wonder why russia takes a number of public steps considered provocative towards the US....while we encircle them and form alliances with countries they have dominated for centuries.

[franksolich]

Yeah, I remember the Armenian-Azerbaijani feuds in Lincoln, Nebraska, right in the heart of America, thousands of miles away from Batum and Baku.

No physical violence--this is Nebraska, after all--but a lot of "bad" words between them.

Really bad words.

This is why I am nervous about expressing a liking for Gallacians, because the Danzigians might get upset, or praising the Danzigians, because the Gallacians might trample all over my innocent questions.

[franksolich]

There was one time, on an Albania message-board, where I said something nice about the Ghegs.....and the Tosks jumped all over me.

So then I turned around and said something nice about the Tosks.....and the Ghegs jumped all over me.

It was amusing, actually; it does not seem to occur to many that, being from mellow, laid-back Nebraska, I have no dogs in these fights; that it is possible to like BOTH the Serbs and the Croats, or the Tosks and the Ghegs, without picking one side over the other.

[PhilDragoo]

Russia to Build 2 Black Sea Naval Bases by 2017

[Lukasz]

Thanks for link, as I through.