Ukraine is making demands on the Russian Black Sea Fleet. In Kiev's view, the 1997 agreement does not reflect the existing situation and requires adjustments. President Yushchenko is saying that 25-30 additional agreements on Sevastopol and on delimitation of borders with Russia could be signed already this year. Moscow is signalling that the treaty is not subject to revision. All this is happening against the background of Ukraine's possible entry to NATO. Today, Ukrainian foreign minister [Borys Tarasyuk] mentioned a possibility of entering into a new format of relations with NATO. There is an impression that Kiev is keen on joining NATO, but The Russian Black Sea Fleet, which is based in Ukrainian territory, presents a serious obstacle to this. 
[Correspondent] The part of the Russian Black Sea Fleet deployed in Ukraine - a cornerstone to constant arguments and even conflicts - consists of one submarine division and a division of warships, brigades of landing, reconnaissance, coastguard, rescue and fire-fighting vessels, as well as trailers and missile boat units - altogether about 400 ships, 160 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters and 25,000 seamen, plus three naval bases, four air fields and barracks for coastal troops.
Everything related to our naval base in the neighbouring country - property, land and navigation rights, as well as many other things - is being regulated by the so-called big treaty of 1997. It says that the Black Sea Fleet will remain in Crimea till 2017. The treaty can also be extended. Russian Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov had said that negotiations to this effect can begin not earlier than four years before the agreement expires. That is, from 2013.
[Ivanov] We have to get to 2017 first. As far as I know, no-one insists on a drastic revision of what has been laid down for this term before 2017.
[Correspondent] While not exactly contesting the agreement, the new Ukrainian authorities are stressing that they do not intend to extend it in a same way as it happened, for example, with the contract on Baykonur in Kazakhstan. This contradicts their constitution, they say. Thus, the Russian ships and all the sailors will have to be transferred to another base, such as Novorossiysk, before 2017. Back in 2003, President Putin signed a decree on establishing a Black Sea naval base there, explaining, however, that this did not mean we would vacate our principal naval base in Sevastopol. It was simply the case of having different bases for different tasks.
At the same time, naval specialists are saying that Novorossiysk can never be a substitute for Sevastopol. There are no comfortable bays, as in Crimea, suitable to accommodate large ships. 
[Mikhail Grishankov, first deputy chairman of the Duma security committee] The Black Sea base in Sevastopol is, undoubtedly, a very important aspect in relations between Russia and Ukraine. But I am confident that the hot political rhetoric which we hear from time to time in Ukraine will cool down eventually. 
[Ivanov] My Ukrainian colleague's [Anatoliy Hrytsenko] visit to Moscow is scheduled for next week. As planned, we shall be examining details of the exact mechanism of the Russian Black Sea functions in Crimea.
[Correspondent] Apart from the naval base, Russia also has a missile attack early warning station in Sevastopol. With the withdrawal of the Black Sea Fleet, the question will arise about this element of our country's defence system as well. 

Source: Channel One TV, Moscow
BBC Monitoring