Ukraine will drop the Black Sea Fleet issue if Transdniestrian conflict is settled - expert

15.12.2010 While settling Transdniestrian conflict, Ukraine won't touch upon the issue of Russia's Black Sea Fleet (BSF) deployed in Crimea, hint Romanian officials. That was a comment given to Rosbalt by Dmitry Tymchuk, military expert and editor of online portal Flot 2017.

As for him, Ukrainian government will by all means avoid the BSF subject while chairmanship in OSCE. "Being involved in Transdniestrian conflict, Romania has formulated its position on BSF deployment in Crimea only by words. This posture has not been officially stated in any formal documents, strategies or declarations. Thus, Ukraine may not react on this. Moreover, today it is even dangerous for Ukraine to engage in such debates. So, official Kiev will either avoid this topic or refer to Ukrainian-Russian bilateral agreements or use common words about security in Black Sea region", said the journalist.

The expert says that Ukrainian leaders have no idea how to settle the Transdniestrian crisis. "Obviously, the situation in Transdniestria is a threat to Ukraine, because a frozen conflict at national border is always a potential menace. But I see no real steps of Ukrainian administration to resolve the problem. Now Kiev is stuck between Moscow and Brussels – any option can be chosen but it will necessarily hurt either Russia's or Europe's interests. Thus and so, as it strikes me, president Yanukovich declares obscured things, and even Ukrainian foreign ministry is at loss to specify them", says Tymchuk.

Recall that Ukraine was approved to lead OSCE in 2013. While occupying this post, Ukraine is expected to resolve Transdniestrian problem. According to Viktor Yanukovich, Ukraine will defend its own interests in relations with Moldova and Romania while settling Transdniestrian conflict.

It should be also reminded that Romanian president Traian Basescu recently said that Bucharest distrusts Moscow because of Russian forces deployed near Romanian border in Transdniestria and Russia's Black Sea Fleet prolonged in Crimea. "We do not feel ourselves comfortable, because Russian troops are deployed along our northern border in Transdniestria. We are not happy at all with the fact of extension of Russian agreement about its fleet basing in Sevastopol", said Basescu in the interview to Romania Libera. "If Russia is so fond of Black Sea states, why the need for such a large fleet in such a small sea?" wondered the president.