Yushchenko was about to prolong presence of Black Sea Fleet – expert

30.11.2010 Even if Russian and Ukrainian presidents have not signed the Kharkov treaty, Russia's Black Sea Fleet would stay in Sevastopol anyway, said Prof. Sergei Usov at young experts' seminar in Sevastopol branch of Moscow State University.

"Long before the Kharkov agreements were signed, we had not a shadow of doubt that the fleet deployment terms would be prolonged. We knew for sure that Black Sea Fleet would stay here. So did our Ukrainian partners. Even Yushchenko who harped about withdrawal of the Russian fleet every week", Usov said.

As for professor, few people know that the ex-president included transition 14 into his draft constitution which permits basing of foreign troops in Ukrainian territory. Usov referred to the interview given by Petr Poroshenko who admitted that the "orange party" were about to extend the fleet deployment agreement for 5 years.

"The Kharkov treaty is anything but a horseback decision. We had been going to it even in the years of standing between the two countries", said Usov.

Throughout recent 20 years Russia's Black Sea Fleet and Ukrainian Navy have commonly used about 20 ship-repair and sport objects in Crimea. They have also used training ranges and controlled Sevastopol harbor defense together. Two fleets jointly participated in Fairway of Peace and BLACKSEAFOR naval exercises.

"Neither Russia nor Ukraine have such co-operation with any other country all across the world", said Usov.

According to him, the Kharkov agreements have not affected the mainstream of Russian-Ukrainian dialogue but made its atmosphere more kind.

"The good example is talks on the Kerch Strait. There has been not a scintilla of convergence through 50 rounds of negotiations. However, now the parties play with a new idea – building of a bridge. The atmosphere changes from disputes to looking for partnership", said Usov.