http://english.people.com.cn/200705/08/eng20070508_372774.html Romania to turn Ukrainian Bastroe canal issue into European affair: FM
<http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/romania.html> Romania will not let the Bastroe canal issue be a bilateral one between Bucharest and Kiev, but will turn it into a European affair, Romanian Foreign Minister Adrian Cioroianu said at a press conference on Monday. He stressed that the Danube Delta is under the protection of international laws assumed by all European states. Cioroianu said that Romania did its best to solve the issue on diplomatic channels, but found no understanding from the Ukrainian side. "We cannot make them understand that the finalization of the project will irreversibly affect an unique geographic area. They tell us that the canal has an economic importance and we are offered some economic gains. We must resort to European methods," said the Romanian chief diplomat. <http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/ukraine.html> Ukraine officially announced that the canal will be opened to navigation next week, marking thus the end of works. The Bastroe Canal is a project proposed by Ukraine in the Danube Delta. The Kiev authorities officially inaugurated the project in 2004, with the intent to provide a deep-water route from the Danube to the Black Sea under Ukrainian control, in order to reduce their ship transit costs. International ecologists have raised significant concerns about damage to the Danube Delta ecosystem. Copyright by People's Daily Online ---------------------------- Vali "Noble blood is an accident of fortune; noble actions are the chief mark of greatness." (Carlo Goldoni) "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." (Jimi Hendrix)
