10 June 2004 16:30
Ukrainian, Russian speakers discuss election, Black Sea Fleet
[Presenter] Russia is going to closely monitor the [October] presidential election in Ukraine and hopes that the
continuity of power and friendly relations will be retained, Russian Federation Council speaker Sergey Mironov has said.
Mironov is leading a parliamentary delegation that arrived in Ukraine on a two-day visit today. He has already met
Ukrainian parliamentary speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn. Pavlo Tyrskyy has the details of the bilateral talks.
[Correspondent] The sides discussed ways of boosting cooperation between the two countries' parliaments. Mironov
spoke about how the Single Economic Space agreement [signed by Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan] was ratified in
Russia and about Ukrainian-Russian cooperation in the Sea of Azov.
For his part, Lytvyn spoke about the need to examine in more detail the delimitation of the border between the two
states in the Azov region and a settlement of the [Russian] Black Sea Fleet problem [in Crimea].
[Lytvyn, in Russian] We spoke about the need to ensure the further development of our cooperation and to flesh it
out. For our part, we need to consider the delimitation of the Sea of Azov and of the Kerch Strait in order to deal with
the issues simultaneously, taking into account the interests of the two countries and national interests of the two
countries.
Secondly, we discussed the topic of bringing the deployment of the Black Sea Fleet in Crimea in line with the
law.
[Correspondent] Ukraine insists on taking stock of the fleet's property, buildings and land as soon as possible
and on settling economic problems of the region. The withdrawal of the fleet from Crimea is not on the agenda. The
parliamentarians also discussed the coming presidential election in Ukraine. Mironov said that the Russians would be
closely monitoring it. He expressed the hope that our state would retain the continuity of power and a friendly course
towards Russia.
[Mironov, in Russian] Russia and Ukraine are so closely linked with blood ties, in the direct sense of the word, that
it seems to me that, irrespective of who is to become the next president, he will definitely fulfil the will of the
Ukrainian people. It seems to me that the will is to live in peace and friendship. For that reason, I have no doubt that
the continuity, dialogue and specific agreements will be retained.
[Passage omitted: schedule of visit to Kharkiv]
[UT1] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
