Ukraine blames Black Sea fleet command for law violations.

KIEV, August 28 (Itar-Tass) -- The Ukrainian foreign ministry blamed
on Thursday the command of the Russian Black Sea fleet deployed in Crimea
for breaching the national legislation by denying Ukrainian bailiffs a
chance to take over the clearing mark of the Chersonese lighthouse.

The incident took place on Wednesday when Ukrainian bailiffs entered
the premises of a Russian military unit and demanded to hand over the
clearing mark citing a ruling of the Sevastopol Economic Court.
The Black Sea Fleet command expressed indignation over what it called
"an unprecedented fact of gross violation of the basic agreements on the
Black Sea Fleet" between Russia and Ukraine.
"The bailiffs deliberately violated the international agreements and
Ukrainian legislation by illegally penetrating into the guarded object
thus exposing to danger not only themselves, but also the attesting
witness they attracted for their enforcement actions," the command said in
a statement.
The Ukrainian foreign ministry responded in a statement "the Black Sea
fleet command continues unlawful actions by rudely violating Ukrainian
legislation and basic international agreements."
Russia is leasing the port of Sevastopol for its Black Sea fleet up to
2017 according to a bilateral agreement with Ukraine.
In 1998, a project on gradual handover of hydrographic facilities to
Ukraine was coordinated with Kiev. It initially agreed with the project,
but later denounced it, and demanded immediate transfer of all the
facilities.
The situation has remained unsettled since, which resulted in
conflicts.
In early July, Ukraine urged Russia to return all the
navigation-hydrographic equipment (35 navigation facilities) used by the
Black Sea fleet.
Clearing marks are navigation devices used for determining the vessel'
s position with respect the axis of the ship channel.
Russian-Ukrainian relations have been gradually deteriorating under
pro-western President Viktor Yushchenko and fell to a new low after
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev accused Yushchenko of anti-Russian
policy and delayed the dispatch of a new ambassador to Ukraine. In his
message to Yushchenko Medvedev accused Ukraine among other things of
deliberately obstructing the activities of the Black Sea fleet despite the
existing bilateral agreement on its deployment.

.New Moldova parliament to meet in first session.

By Valery Demidetsky

CHISINAU, August 28 (Itar-Tass) -- The new Moldova's parliament, in
which the Communists lost a majority, will hold the first session on
Friday to appoint the leadership of the legislature.
The Alliance for European Integration, which united four political
parties, holds 53 out of 101 seats in parliament and said it will not
share top positions with the Communists, who have 48 seats. However, the
Alliance is unable to elect a new president without compromising with the
Communists, as it needs 61 votes for that.
If politicians fail to agree, they will leave the country in a
protracted political crisis without viable leadership.
Media reported the Alliance plans to have Democratic Party leader
Marian Lupu as president, Our Moldova Alliance leader Serafim Urechian as
prime minister, and Liberal Democratic Party leader Vlad Filat as
parliament speaker.
The current government of Zinaida Greceanii has to step down, but
outgoing President Vladimir Voronin may keep it in office, as he himself
will preserve the post and will have to nominate the prime minister in
case parliament fails to elect a new president.
The national legislation does not allow to dissolve parliament twice
in one year, so diarchy may reign the country until next year, as
Communist Voronin will remain president and Greceanii will head the
government until a new election, while parliament will be controlled by
their opponents.
Experts fear such a scenario will be the worst for Moldova in
conditions of economic crisis and continuing recession.
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