Having already posted a draft regulation on Wednesday proposing alterations to borders with its neighbors in the eastern Baltic Sea, Russia’s defense ministry later deleted the document giving no explanation and causing uncertainty over the plans.
The announcement had earlier caused concern among NATO members and drawn accusations of escalating tensions in the region.
Moscow justified its intentions to adjust its borders in the Baltic basin, specifically by designating parts of the Gulf of Finland as Russian international waters, by saying that Soviet-era border measurements had used out-of-date nautical charts no longer corresponding to more modern coordinates.
The draft proposal would also have applied to waters near the Russian cities of Baltiysk and Zelenogradsk in the Kaliningrad region.
No official explanation was given for the draft’s removal from the web, with a message simply stating: “The draft is deleted.”
A German government spokesperson acknowledged that the document had been made public but said its meaning was unclear.
“Of course we are observing the situation closely,” Reuters quoted him as telling a press conference. He added that consensus with all affected states was required in order to change international borders.
Moscow justified its intentions to adjust its borders in the Baltic basin, specifically by designating parts of the Gulf of Finland as Russian international waters, by saying that Soviet-era border measurements had used out-of-date nautical charts no longer corresponding to more modern coordinates.
The draft proposal would also have applied to waters near the Russian cities of Baltiysk and Zelenogradsk in the Kaliningrad region.
No official explanation was given for the draft’s removal from the web, with a message simply stating: “The draft is deleted.”
A German government spokesperson acknowledged that the document had been made public but said its meaning was unclear.
“Of course we are observing the situation closely,” Reuters quoted him as telling a press conference. He added that consensus with all affected states was required in order to change international borders.
Source: Reuters, TVP World
More In Politics MORE...
