OREANDA-NEWS. November 05, 2009. The negotiation process is continuing on various aspects of the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s presence in Ukraine.

After the seventh session of the Russian-Ukrainian Interstate Commission’s Sub-Commission on the Presence and Operation of the Russian Black Sea Fleet on the Territory of Ukraine (Kyiv, June 10, 2009), a series of meetings between Russian and Ukrainian experts took place.

In July specialists of our two countries met twice in Kyiv to discuss the rule on the crossing by the Fleet’s ships and auxiliary vessels of Ukraine’s state border, as well as on movements of Russian military units outside their areas of deployment within the territory of Ukraine. Consultations on this subject will continue this year, tentatively in December.

On September 25, Odessa hosted a session of the working group on navigational and hydrographic support of shipping in the Black and Azov Seas.

From October 26-27, experts met in Kiev to prepare a draft Agreement between Russia and Ukraine on jurisdiction and legal assistance in criminal matters during the presence of the Russian Black Sea Fleet on Ukrainian territory.

Also there on October 28-29 an expert-level discussion took place on a draft intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in conducting inspection activities in the areas of deployment of the Russian Black Sea Fleet on Ukrainian territory under multilateral international treaties in the disarmament sphere and on a draft agreement on actions by the parties in crisis situations with the employment of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation.

From October 7-14, Russian experts were in Sevastopol to discuss with their Ukrainian colleagues practical aspects of the implementation of the March 16, 2000 Agreement between the Russian Federation and Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers on participation by Russia in developing the socioeconomic sphere of Sevastopol and other settlements where Black Sea Fleet military units are deployed on the territory of Ukraine.

Two working groups, on legal affairs and politico-military affairs, are scheduled to meet in Moscow in late November. A session of the environmental working group and a meeting of experts on crossing of the Ukrainian state border by, and movements of Russian troop units outside their areas of deployment within Ukraine will be held in Sevastopol in December.

Also there it is planned to hold a discussion on the implementation of the March 16, 2000 Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on the mutual recognition of the rights and governance of the property relations of the Russian Black Sea Fleet over the housing stock and social facilities in the areas of deployment of its military units on the territory of Ukraine.

A meeting of the working group tasked with inventorying Ukrainian lands and state property turned over for Fleet use is scheduled to take place on the eve of the eighth regular session of the Sub-Commission on the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s Presence and Operation on Ukrainian Territory, to be held in the first quarter of 2010.