All news
12 Nov 2019, 17:18

Kiev does not let its officials visit Russia to sign protocol on fishing in Azov sea

The Sea of Azov is an internal sea of two countries — Russia and Ukraine; there is a bilateral Russian-Ukrainian commission that governs fishing in the area

ROSTOV-ON-DON, November 12. /TASS/. The Ukrainian government has not allowed its delegation to go to Russia for the signing of a protocol on 2020 fishing quotas in the Sea of Azov, the deputy chairman of the Russian-Ukrainian commission for fishing in the Sea of Azov, head of the Azov Research Institute for Fisheries Nikolai Gospodaryov, told TASS.

The protocol on the use of fishing resources in the Sea of Azov is signed by Russia and Ukraine annually alternately in the territory of either country. This year the ceremony was to take place in Russia. However, on the eve of the procedure Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy and Environmental Protection said Kiev would sign the protocol remotely, so the session of the Ukrainian-Russian commission would be held on-line on November 13.

"They [the Ukrainian delegation] are unable to arrive. Last year we went to Ukraine to attend the commission’s meeting. Under the official procedure we are to host the session this year, but their government refused permission," Gospodaryov said.

He believes that the problem has a political dimension, pointing out, though, that the relations between scientists and fishing businesses concerned are very good.

The Sea of Azov is an internal sea of two countries — Russia and Ukraine. There is a bilateral Russian-Ukrainian commission that governs fishing in the area.