Tensions flared up
around the use of the Sea of Azov’s waters in May.
MOSCOW, September 25.
/TASS/. Nullifying a treaty between Russia and Ukraine on cooperation in the
Sea of Azov will entail serious consequences for Kiev, Director of the Foreign
Ministry’s Second Department for the Commonwealth of Independent States Andrei
Rudenko told reporters on Tuesday.
"If they make
this decision [to exit the treaty of the Sea of Azov], then it’s up to them.
Naturally, this will trigger certain consequences for both Ukraine and
Russia," Rudenko cautioned.
Russian President
Vladimir Putin and then Ukrainian head of state Leonid Kuchma signed the treaty
between Russia and Ukraine on cooperation in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch
Strait on December 24, 2003 in Kerch.
Based on this pact,
which went into effect on April 23, 2004, the two countries defined the status
of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait recognizing them as their historic
domestic waters. The document outlined the terms for transportation of merchant
vessels and warships in these waters as well as Russian-Ukrainian cooperation,
including their joint navigation. Any disputes related to the treaty need to be
solved through "consultations and talks, and also other peaceful
means."
Ukraine’s parliament,
the Verkhovna Rada, has repeatedly called for terminating this treaty. A bill
on severing this agreement was registered with the parliament back in 2015.
However, the Foreign Ministry and some Ukrainian security agencies cautioned
the parliament against denouncing the document, saying that this would result
in the blocking of Ukrainian ports in the Sea of Azov.
Tensions flared up
around the use of the Sea of Azov’s waters on May 25, when Ukraine’s Border
Service detained Russia’s Nord fishing vessel there. Only two sailors managed
to return home, while the other crewmembers were detained because Ukraine’s
Border Service considered them Ukrainian nationals residing in Crimea.
After that, Russia’s
border guards stepped up their inspections of Ukrainian fishing ships, while
Kiev said it was important to beef up its military presence in the Sea of Azov
"to counteract to Russian border guards."
The second initiative
on terminating the treaty was registered with the parliament by a group of MPs
from the Self Reliance party in July 2018. However, Deputy Foreign Minister
Elena Zerkal said Kiev was not planning to denounce the treaty with Russia on
cooperation in the Sea of Azov since this would enable Moscow to announce its
territorial claims.
Source: ITAR-TASS
25-09-2018
