Meanwhile, in the societies of both countries there still are many stereotypes impeding the development of a Kyiv-Bucharest dialogue and its effectiveness.
Expert viewpoint
The potential of Ukrainian-Romanian relations is not fully exploited, as concluded by the organizers of the expert survey under the “Ukraine-Romania Relations: Perceptions, Perspectives, Priorities” Project designed to study the opinion of the academic community in both countries. The survey results have been presented in early December in Kyiv at a thematic conference co-organized by the Verkhovna Rada Committee on European Integration.
“Despite a political ‘thaw’ in the dialogue of Kyiv and Bucharest, the potential of bilateral relations is not fully exploited because of mutual negative stereotypes and prejudices. ‘Blemishes’ in the history of relations very often impede their full-grown development,” the survey concludes. Among factors that adversely affect the current state of relations, experts stress “the lack of governmental contacts/cooperation and rivalry for the natural resources in the Black Sea basin”.
To strengthen cooperation and make it a ‘real strategic partnership’, it is recommended “to avoid the practice of an aggressive foreign policy, which will produce positive changes in the perception of Ukraine in Romania and Romania in Ukraine.” In this context, not only national governments but also international organizations and local communities of border regions play an important role in establishing a constructive dialogue, experts say. The business and academic communities of both states also have certain opportunities in this context. Meanwhile, average citizens of both countries still perceive their neighbor through the distorted prism of prejudices. Why does it happen and how to overcome these negative stereotypes?
Historical perspective
Most likely, the tendency of feeding negative stereotypes is also acute for a new history of relations of Kyiv and Bucharest. It is enough to recall the long trial in The Hague concerning the delimitation of the continental shelf and exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea between Ukraine and Romania. After the announcement of the court decision in February 2009, both sides have officially stated the verdict was fair.
Yet, completely opposite sentiments prevailed in the media. Specifically, the Ukrainian press spread the viewpoint that Kyiv allegedly lost the case and, thus, “lost a considerable part of the disputable territory”. In turn, Romanian high-ranking politicians constantly emphasized that the court judgment is a victory of Bucharest and a team of Romanian diplomats and lawyers. The next episode that obviously did not promote the strengthening of bilateral contacts was the cancellation of the visit of President of Romania Traian Basescu to Ukraine in the same February 2009.
The further the worse: the espionage scandal, which resulted in the mutual expulsion of diplomats. The further events have not demonstrated improvements in relations as well. April 2009: the Ukrainian government demands a Romanian report on the spill of heavy metals in the Tisa River saying it should address the International Court, if Romania refuses to pay compensation.
The same year, the countries continued the dispute over the navigable section of the Danube Delta, often using ‘non-classical’ methods. It has to be mentioned that both sides remain where they were on this issue. Specifically, Ukraine exercises the right to exploit the Danube-Black Sea deep-water navigation route through the Bystre Mouth. Romania continues stating that constant dredging works and the deepening of the existing riverbed seriously damage the Danube Delta ecosystem. In turn, Kyiv presents counter-arguments and accuses Romania of violating the environmental standards because of the deliberate silting of the Kiliya mouth of the Danube (located along the border with Ukraine).
Another ‘irritant’ for the society is a statement by a Ukrainian MP that Ukraine is at risk to lose the Maikan island due to a change in the fairway of the Danube. As a matter of fact, it was difficult to build bridges of friendship in this vortex of events. Later on, one of the sides has called this period a ‘diplomatic winter’ in relations.
Gradual resumption of a dialogue
Despite all the difficulties, Kyiv and Bucharest have nevertheless resorted to the popular practice of ‘reloading’ relations. The support to actions dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Chornobyl tragedy and a financial contribution to the construction of the Shelter facility at the fourth Chornobyl nuclear power plant reactor could be regarded as friendly gestures of Bucharest.
Yet, an exchange of visits by the Foreign Ministers of both countries has proved to be the most significant factor. This May, the head of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine has visited the capital of Romania for the first time over the last six years.
Official Kyiv has even called this “the beginning of a new phase in relations”. As officially reported by the press-service of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine, the main goal of the visit was “to realize the recent desire of both sides to normalize the political dialogue and cooperation at a variety of levels.” As head of an official delegation in Bucharest, K. Hryshchenko has met with the Romanian President, the Foreign Minister and parliamentarians.
They have discussed a wide range of issues paying special attention to the resumption of the dialogue at the highest level, strengthening of inter-parliamentary ties and discussion of ways of cooperation on transport and energy. On his side, Romanian leader Traian Basescu has assured the head of the Ukrainian delegation that official Bucharest will support by all means Ukraine’s European integration and, in particular, the process of negotiating the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.
It has to be mentioned that after a long pause in relations, these high-level statements are significant at least. A visit of Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi to Kyiv on Nov. 9-10 has logically continued the dialogue.
The sides have discussed cooperation in trade, economic, cross-border and humanitarian areas. Furthermore, the Romanian counterpart has confirmed its readiness to further promote Ukraine’s European aspirations. The Cooperation Agreement between the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine and the Ministry of Justice of Romania and the Collaboration Protocol in the field of European integration between the Foreign Ministries have been signed. At the same time, informing of the population about rapprochement actions could also be an important factor in the process of the dialogue resumption.
This shapes the public opinion and the attitude to the neighbor. Instead, probably through inertia, the media have given only brief information, mostly from official press-releases. In this aspect, a response of Teodor Baconschi to publications in the local press after his visit to Kyiv is interesting. “I had meetings with President of Ukraine Victor Yanukovych, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn; negotiated with my Ukrainian counterpart Kostyantyn Hryshchenko and met with the Romanian Diaspora in Ukraine. This means relations of Romania with its great eastern neighbor, Ukraine, may resume their normal course, though our media said nothing about this diplomatic success,” the Minister has written in his blog.
An advocate for Ukraine
Speaking at the international conference in Kyiv on 2 December, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to Ukraine Cornel Ionescu has confirmed the position of official Bucharest on the strengthening of bilateral relations with Ukraine. Moreover, he has expressed readiness of Romania to act as an advocate of Ukraine in European structures. “Romania, together with Poland, could become an effective advocator of Ukraine’s rapprochement with the EU. There are areas of cooperation between our states, where dynamic and growth is at the high level,” the Romanian diplomat has stressed.
The Ambassador is sure Romania is important for Ukraine as a state that could impact the EU policy in Southeastern Europe so that to promote Ukraine’s interests in the process of its European integration. Besides, according to him, Bucharest is ready to help Ukraine set up cooperation with the Balkan States and “to create a climate of stability and security in the Black Sea region”. By this statement the Romanian diplomat actually has not only demonstrated the consistency of Romanian policy towards rapprochement with Ukraine but also proposed new cooperation mechanisms.
In this respect, C. Ionescu has stressed some priority directions, in which the dialogue should be enhanced. These are cooperation on European integration, cross-border partnership and an increase in the volume of bilateral trade. He has placed a special emphasis on the need to support the national minorities, Romanian in Ukraine and Ukrainian in Romania, calling them “bridges between the two countries”. What is interesting is that it is the ethnic factor that has been one of the most sensitive issues in the triangle of Romania-Ukraine-Moldova relations. “In Romania, there was a widespread opinion that not the two national minorities, Moldovan and Romanian but the only one, Romanian, should exist in Ukraine.
In other words, all Romanian-speaking representatives of Ukrainian national minorities were automatically attributed to this category,” expert of the Pylyp Orlyk Institute for Democracy Nataliya Belitser explains. She has emphasized that minority ethnicity of individuals should always be based on the self-determination principle. According to the expert, in the survey dated 2 December, Romanian partners have presented specific figures, “and the population of 150,000 Romanians in Ukraine, not 460 like some other sources indicate”.
Statements by official Bucharest concerning the support to ethnic communities demonstrate a modern democratic approach providing for an increase in cultural exchanges, the establishment of horizontal contacts in science and education and the implementation of various programs. Hence, 2011 has become decisive in determining approaches of Kyiv and Bucharest towards brand- new dialogue. The Romanian side persistently demonstrates readiness to advocate Ukraine’s Euro- integration aspirations by the example of the Republic of Poland. It happened historically that the history of Ukrainian-Polish relations has been difficult until recently. However, the further Kyiv-Warsaw dialogue, which is being actively developed, could serve as a good example for building bridges with Bucharest. On its side, Ukraine expresses readiness to resume relations with Romania after the ‘diplomatic winter’.
Yet, some aspects in bilateral relations require compromise approaches (in particular, the issues of navigation and protection of the Danube Delta ecosystem). Besides, it is difficult to find information in the media space of Ukraine and Romania about real steps toward rapprochement, which gives grounds for biased attitude to the neighbor. The future will show how the dialogue will develop. Yet, this development will be probably determined by the willingness of countries to resolve controversial issues and to set up parallel contacts, both at the national and regional levels.
Yaroslav Dovgopol is an expert with the Ukrainian Center for Independent Political Research.
