MOSCOW. May 22 (Interfax-AVN) - If Ukraine passes a law on the withdrawal of the Russian Black Sea Fleet from Ukrainian territory in 2017, Russia can raise the issue of Crimea and the status of Sevastopol, head of the Federation Council Defense and Security Committee Viktor Ozerov said.
"In case Ukraine passes a law on the removal of armed formations of the Russian Black Sea Fleet from their places of deployment in May 2017, Russia has the right to raise the question about the historical ownership of Crimea and the status of Sevastopol along with all the possible aftereffects," Ozerov told Interfax-AVN.
He said that there is still plenty of time left until 2017. "I am sure that Mr. Yushchenko won't be Ukraine's president and Mrs. Tymoshenko won't be prime minister at that time and the final decision on the issue will be made by absolutely different people. Therefore today it looks more like political campaigning than a practical approach," he said.
Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council has given the Cabinet two months to arrange a comprehensive study of the effects of the presence of the Russian fleet in Ukraine.