Russia, Ukraine to discuss Kerch Strait border

MOSCOW, June 3 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
will leave for the Black Sea port of Odessa in Ukraine on Friday to meet
his Ukrainian counterpart Konstantin Grishchenko and discuss disputed
border delimitation in the Kerch Strait of the Sea of Azov.
Russia proposes to recognize the strait and the sea as internal waters
of both countries, delimitate the seabed and keep the surface for common
use.
Ukraine insists the surface shall be divided according to the
administrative border which existed between the two countries when they
were constituent republics of the Soviet Union. In that case Ukraine will
take over a larger part of the Sea of Azov including the fairway through
the Kerch Strait to the Black Sea.
The ministers will also discuss European security issues and
settlement of the problem of the Dniester breakaway region of Moldova.