Ukraine, Russia diplomats to discuss border demarcation on Dec. 7

December01200919:53

Dec. 7, deputy foreign ministers of Ukraine and Russia are scheduled to hold consultations on the border demarcation, Russia deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin told journalists in Moscow Dec. 1.

“The border demarcation issue will be discussed in the course of Dec. 7 political consultations between the two foreign ministries,” he confirmed.

Karasin will head the Russian team and Volodymyr Handohy the Ukrainian one. Negotiators will discuss the issues related to the land and sea border between Ukraine and Russia. The issues are knotty, Karasin said, but are approached in a constructive spirit.

Commenting on the recent shooting by Russia border guards of a Ukrainian at the Ukrainian-Russian border, Karasin noted, “We expressed our regret. The border guards of both countries have been in contact and clarified all the details of the accident and established who was guilty. The accident, especially the one involving the loss of human life, was definitely overplayed by the media.”

Recall that late Nov. 26, Russia border guards shot a Ukrainian, a native of the Kharkiv oblast, who tried to smuggle goods from Russia across the non-demarcated border into Ukraine.

According to the Ukraine foreign ministry, the accident has highlighted the need to demarcate the border. “We have always insisted that the lack of the legal status and demarcation carries numerous risks, including those that may end in the loss of lives,” Ukraine ministry officials stressed.