International   

Russia, Ukraine in lighthouse row

Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW: Russia has accused Ukraine of seizing a lighthouse rented by the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the Crimean Peninsula in an incident that whipped up tension anew between the two countries barely two weeks after they resolved a bitter gas price dispute. A spokesman for the Russian Navy said a group of Ukrainian officials took over the Yalta lighthouse during a maintenance session and barred Russian personnel from entering the facility on Friday. He said an attempt to seize another Black Sea Fleet lighthouse on the peninsula was foiled on Saturday. The spokesman described the move as "pure provocation" and said the lighthouses were part of a 1997 agreement under which Ukraine agreed to lease land and property for Russia's Black Sea Fleet till 2017. However, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Borys Tarasyuk insisted the Crimean lighthouses belonged to Ukraine and said there were no legal grounds for Russia to hold them. The Russian Naval Command said security had been stepped up at the Black Sea Fleet facilities and vowed to prevent any further seizure attempts.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Pakistan should move towards democracy, says John Kerry
Pakistan protests U.S. missile attack
Crown Prince appointed Emir
Row over MPs' phone tapping
Russia, Ukraine in lighthouse row
Feud over King's legacy
From Baghdad to Soho
Suicide attack on Canadian convoy
Israel Cabinet nod for vote in East Jerusalem
Iran warns West against using pressure tactics

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu