Yanukovich's assistant: Ukraine could accommodate one more foreign fleet

16.02.2010
Leonid Kozhara, assistant of Ukrainian president elect Viktor Yanukovich and main candidate for the post of Ukrainian foreign minister, gave an interview to Spanish El Pais in which he conceded one more foreign fleet to be based at Ukrainian territory.

"Perhaps, it would be profitable for Ukraine to accommodate one or two fleets under leasing contract", said Kozhara. Answering the journalist's question whether he meant Russian Black Sea Fleet, Yanukovich's assistant said, "Why not if they pay good money?"

Ukraine does not exclude probability to prolong lease period for Russian BSF after 2017; however, contract terms will be reconsidered, Kozhara said.

"We get $92 mln per year for accommodation of Russian fleet; part of this money is intended for gas debt redemption. The rest is an absurd sum which is insufficient either for development of Sevastopol or to establish adequate fleet's service infrastructure", said Kozhara.

In Oct 2008 Viktor Yanukovich offered to increase lease payment for Russian BSF deployed in Sevastopol. At that time leader of Party of Regions said that it was necessary to raise lease payment because "such prices do not exist now". Meanwhile, on Feb 13, 2010 upon winning presidential elections he confirmed readiness to prolong the agreement on BSF basing in Sevastopol.

Ex-president Viktor Yushchenko had also repeatedly stated necessity to increase lease payments for Russian fleet, although did nothing for that.

Terms of current agreements related to BSF basing in Sevastopol will be expired on May 28, 2017.

Speaking of other foreign policy aspects, Kozhara said that Ukraine is European country and sees itself only in Europe, although does not deny close partnership with Russia. Nevertheless, at first Ukraine intends to reach European standards, and thereafter – to speak of probable EU membership. According to Kozhara, if Ukraine accepts all EU requirements now, its economy would not be able to withstand competition with European products.

Party of Regions opposes Ukraine's membership in NATO since majority of Ukrainians are against it and we don't want to provoke Russia's aggression, added Kozhara.

Source: Vzglyad, photo: Russia's Black Sea Fleet warship (AFP)