KIEV, April 23 (RIA Novosti) - Neither Russia nor Ukraine have whatever grounds to regard prospects for the Russian Black Sea Fleet to pull out from Ukraine ahead of schedule, Boris Tarasyuk, Ukraine's Foreign Minister, said to the Zerkalo Nedeli weekly.
He, however, flatly insists on the fleet to leave Ukraine, 2017, and to prolong its stationing term is out of the question, reports the RIA Novosti/Ukraine news agency.
"As far as I know, Russia is interested not only in using its temporary stationing years to the full-that is, up to 2017, but also in prolonging the term. As I want to point out in that connection, Ukraine's pledges concern only the time before 2017. From then on, such Constitutional clauses enter into force as prohibit foreign military presence in Ukraine.
"We must be honest and outspoken in contacts with our Russian partners. If we behave that way, neither Russians nor Ukrainians will ever raise any disputes on the matter," said the Foreign Minister.
