MOSCOW, January 14 (RIA Novosti) - A group of admirals and senior officers of the Russian Black Sea Fleet headed from the fleet's base in Sevastopol to another Crimean city of Yalta to settle the lighthouse incident, Assistant Navy Commander-in-Chief Igor Dygalo said Saturday.
"The Russian delegation is headed by Russian Black Sea Fleet Commander Admiral Alexander Tatarinov," Dygalo said adding that the delegation would negotiate the return of the lighthouse, which was seized by Ukrainian officials Friday.
"The high level of the Russian delegation proves the firm intention of the Russian Navy's command to return the lighthouse to the Russian Black Sea Fleet's hydrographic service," Dygalo said.
Earlier this day, Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Vladimir Masorin said he was convinced the lighthouse would be returned to the Russian side soon.
According to Masorin, Ukraine's provocative actions may lead to navigation incidents.
The Russian Black Sea Fleet leases the base of Sevastopol in the Crimea. Although Russia and Ukraine have an agreement under which Russia will lease the base until 2017, some Ukrainian politicians called for a revision of the contract terms after Russian energy giant Gazprom announced that it wanted to raise prices for supplies of natural gas to Ukraine to international market levels.
