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| Romanian – Ukrainian Relations 19/05/2011 |
| (2011-05-19) |
| Last updated: 2011-05-20 16:05 EET |
Ukraine, Romania’s biggest territorial and demographic neighbor, has always ranked high on the top-priority list of the Romanian Foreign Ministry. The formal visit by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Konstantin Grishcenko to Bucharest allowed for a more detailed review of Romanian-Ukrainian relations.
Romanian president Traian Basescu believes that developing relations with Ukriane is tied to building up an atmosphere of trust between the two neighboring states. After meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Konstantin Grishcenko on Wednesday, president Basescu’s statement follows after a long period of strenuous bilateral relations.
Political pundits say that dissensions between the two countries resulted in the cancellation of president Basescu’s visit to Kiev scheduled two years ago. The border-state of the former Soviet Union, at present Ukraine has a Romanian-speaking minority of almost half a million people, most of whom are inhabiting Romanian eastern territories that Moscow seized in 1940.
As opposed to the plethora of rights the 60 thousand Ukrainians living in Romania are enjoying at present, the Romanian minority in Ukraine has been a constant source of concern and discontent for Bucharest officials. Romanian Foreign Minister, Teodor Baconschi:
“ It is in our mutual interest that the two minorities should enjoy European rights at the same standards and to tackle strategies of bettering their living conditions in an unbiased manner.”
Another delicate topic is the Krivoi Rog Mining and Processing Plant in the former Soviet Ukraine, where communist Romania invested several billions of dollars back in the ‘80s. As pressure is piling up to cash out the invested capital, Ukrainian Foreign Minister gave assurances that ongoing talks would result in a profitable agreement for both parties.
In addition, whereas Moscow openly expressed its disgruntlement regarding the deployment of missile interceptors in Romania as part of the US anti-missile defense shield in Europe, Ukraine on the other head expressed its willingness to hold talks with Bucharest and Washington officials on regional security. Konstantin Grishcenko:
“In the context where every state takes steps to strengthen its national security, we believe this policy should be directed towards consolidating security in the whole of Europe. Moreover, all political aspects of this move should be taken into consideration”.
In a more skeptical tone, professor Dan Dungaciu, a researcher at the Institute of Political Science and International Relations of the Romanian Academy, believes Kiev officials are straddling a fine line on the issue of the US anti-missile defense shield.
While present lawmakers are known for having pro-Russian sympathies, Ukraine is still bound to NATO on account of a partnership established by the former pro-Western government. Professor Dungaciu argues that Ukraine has for the time being chosen to strike a balance between its Eastern and Western interests.
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