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Ukraine, Romania on the brink of diplomatic tensions

06 March 2009 09:15 (UTC +04:00)

Kiev â€“APA. Ukraine and Romania were involved in the diplomatic tensions, APA reports quoting Ukrainskaya Pravda. Ukrainian foreign ministry declared two senior officers of the Romanian diplomatic missions â€œpersona non grataâ€. According to the Ukrainian diplomatic sources, defense attachÃ© of the Romanian embassy in Kiev Philip Radu and secretary of the Consulate General in Chernovitsi Justinian Foksha were accused in actions threatened the Ukraineâ€™s security and violation of Diplomatic and Consulate Relations Convention. â€œThey were working to create separatist mood among the Romanian-speaking population of Ukraine, funding the anti-Ukraine public organizations and cultural societies and collecting information damaged the Ukraineâ€™s international imageâ€. The sources said Romania submitted a draft resolution to the European Parliament about the protection of rights of the Romanian ethnic minority in Ukraine and Bucharest attempted to tackle Danube-Black Sea navigation channel project, which is very important for Ukraine.

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry took these strong measures because Romania arrested two persons accusing them in spying activity for Ukraine and expelled two employees of Ukrainian embassy. Officer of the Romanian defense Ministry Floricel Akim and his Bulgarian friend Peter Zikulov was arrested on March 4 under accusations of spying for Ukraine. Defense attachÃ© of the Ukrainian embassy and his assistant were declared â€œpersona non grataâ€.