The presence of Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Ukraine's Crimea has been a source of contention between the ex-Soviet neighbors since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Under agreements signed in the 1990s, the Russian fleet is to continue renting a base in Ukraine until 2017.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin's comment came in reply to a statement made by his Ukrainian counterpart that Kiev would continue trying to re-establish control over the lighthouses through the Ukrainian courts.
On March 5, Ukrainian bailiffs attempted to seize a radio navigation facility, Mars-75, in the southwestern Crimean town of Genichesk, citing a district court ruling allegedly enabling them to confiscate the piece of equipment and transfer it to the Transportation Ministry.
Kamynin supported Russian Black Sea fleet officials who said the court had no right to decide on facilities used under an international agreement, but admitted that the 1997 agreement on the Russian fleet renting the Black Sea base had failed to identify the status of the equipment.
"At the time, the sides decided to conclude a special agreement," he said. "The document mentioned no court procedures whatsoever."
The official said the two countries had set up a sub-commission to draft a relevant agreement in 2006 and called on the parties to concentrate on the work rather than litigation. The sub-commission gathered for its latest session February 27 in Moscow.
