Snaky problem to be dealt with in Kyiv
Anatoly Kinakh’s arrival in Bucharest was the first official visit of a Ukrainian head of government to Romania in our ten years of independence. This makes it a significant event. Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase appraised the visit of his Ukrainian counterpart by saying, “This is practically the starting point for improving bilateral relations.” On the whole, the Ukrainian premier’s two-day visit to Bucharest can hardly be called productive. Ukraine and Romania have accumulated too many problems to be solved at one stroke.
The governments of Ukraine and Romania have agreed to draw up the ways of solving the Zmiyiny (Snake) Island problem by April or May, when Presidents Leonid Kuchma and Ion Iliescu are to meet, Interfax-Ukraine quotes Ukraine’s Prime Minister Anatoly Kinakh as saying at a press conference in Bucharest. The premier noted that the two countries would hold the next round of talks on drafting a border treaty, agreement on the Black Sea continental, and delimitation of exclusive economic zones in Bucharest in February. In his turn, Romanian Prime Minister Adrian Nastase said that, although the dispute could be referred to international judicial authorities, the Romanian side hopes to solve the problem on a bilateral level. This is the problem of not only the economy but also of being good neighbors, Mr. Nastase said.
Simultaneously, informed sources point out that the previous round of negotiations held the week before last in Kyiv yielded no results, with the Romanian stand remaining unclear. Romania has always reiterated that it has no territorial claims on Ukraine. Before the two countries signed a basic treaty in 1997, the Romanian side had challenged the status of Zmiyiny Island as Ukrainian territory. In addition, the Black Sea shelf is understood to have reserves of oil and gas which cannot be explored and extracted without solving all state border delineation and delimitation problems. Although the negotiations had never been smooth, the change of power in Romania led to a complete absence of progress. The two sides refuse to reveal their differences, likely claims and positions.
The numerous remaining problems between Kyiv and Bucharest seem to suffice for more than one generation to solve. From time to time the two sides again raise the issue of determining the state border. What also seems likely to soon become a perpetual problem is delineation of the continental shelf between the two countries. In spite of Ukrainian efforts, it is not clear when the Kryvy Rih Oxidized Ore Enhancement Facility, in which Romania invested $800 million, will be finally commissioned.
As to the Kryvy Rih mill, Mr. Kinakh said Ukraine intends to finish its construction in cooperation with partners. While Ukraine’s share in the project is 56.4%, that of Romania is 28%, with the rest belonging to Slovakia. As of today, the facilities built by Romania are about 80% ready for service.
Ethnic minorities are another critically important point in bilateral relations. In the opinion of Romanian President Ion Iliescu who also met Mr. Kinakh, the Ukrainians in Romania and the Romanians in Ukraine should build “a bridge which will let us improve relations on the basis of mutual understanding and being good neighbors.” Incidentally, Romania does not have even one Ukrainian-language school.
