halldor
04-04-2003, 12:15 PM
Russia: Moscow Reluctant To Finalize Border Agreements With Former Soviet Republics
By Valentinas Mite
More than a decade has passed since the collapse of the Soviet Union. But so far, Lithuania and Ukraine are the only former Soviet republics to sign border treaties with Russia, and Moscow has yet to ratify either one. Analysts say there are several explanations for Russia's reluctance to formalize border arrangements with its post-Soviet neighbors.
Prague, 2 April 2003 (RFE/RL) -- This January, Ukraine signed a border treaty with Russia, becoming only the second former Soviet republic to procure such an agreement. The first was Lithuania, which signed a border treaty with Russia in 1997.
Neither treaty is ratified, and in the case of Ukraine, the border has yet to be fully delimited. But both agreements mark the first step in the process of finalizing the borders between the former republics of the Soviet Union.
Oleksandr Sushko is an analyst with the Center for Peace, Conversion, and Foreign Policy, a Kyiv-based think tank. He said he believes the Russian-Ukrainian border will remain relatively open and uncontrolled despite the recent treaty.
But the Baltic states are in a different position. With Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia all poised to join the European Union and NATO next year, they are slated to become the eastern frontier of those organizations and must bring their control of the borders in line with Western standards.
But Russia appears determined to challenge the Baltics' border control. The Russian State Duma has made no moves to ratify the Lithuanian border treaty, although Vilnius itself ratified the agreement three years ago.
More:
http://www.rferl.org/nca/features/2003/04/02042003152932.asp
By Valentinas Mite
More than a decade has passed since the collapse of the Soviet Union. But so far, Lithuania and Ukraine are the only former Soviet republics to sign border treaties with Russia, and Moscow has yet to ratify either one. Analysts say there are several explanations for Russia's reluctance to formalize border arrangements with its post-Soviet neighbors.
Prague, 2 April 2003 (RFE/RL) -- This January, Ukraine signed a border treaty with Russia, becoming only the second former Soviet republic to procure such an agreement. The first was Lithuania, which signed a border treaty with Russia in 1997.
Neither treaty is ratified, and in the case of Ukraine, the border has yet to be fully delimited. But both agreements mark the first step in the process of finalizing the borders between the former republics of the Soviet Union.
Oleksandr Sushko is an analyst with the Center for Peace, Conversion, and Foreign Policy, a Kyiv-based think tank. He said he believes the Russian-Ukrainian border will remain relatively open and uncontrolled despite the recent treaty.
But the Baltic states are in a different position. With Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia all poised to join the European Union and NATO next year, they are slated to become the eastern frontier of those organizations and must bring their control of the borders in line with Western standards.
But Russia appears determined to challenge the Baltics' border control. The Russian State Duma has made no moves to ratify the Lithuanian border treaty, although Vilnius itself ratified the agreement three years ago.
More:
http://www.rferl.org/nca/features/2003/04/02042003152932.asp