Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

The decision taken by the International Court of Justice in The Hague regarding the delimitation of the continental shelf and the exclusive economic zones of Ukraine and Romania in the Black Sea (in respect to Serpent Island) has a positive effect on the development of their bilateral cooperation, the deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential secretariat, Andriy Honcharuk, has said.

The presidential press service quoted him as saying on Tuesday that the court's decision had demarcated the continental shelf and exclusive economic zones of Ukraine and Romania in the northwestern part of the Black Sea, i.e. the maritime space outside their territorial waters.

"It should be noted that the court took the decision unanimously, thoroughly grounding it [on] international maritime law and the delimitation methods [used] by it," Honcharuk said, adding that the majority of Romania's claims had been rejected. (In particular, the court rejected the claim that Serpent Island had been part of the Soviet Union, contrary to the Paris Peace Accords).

Honcharuk said that the court had also rejected Romania's claim that only a 12-mile zone, which includes only territorial waters, could exist around the island.

He expressed confidence that a clear delimitation line would create favorable conditions for both sides to attract foreign investment with the goal of exploring and extracting natural resources in this part of the Black Sea.