TALLINN - Russia's Foreign Ministry has informed Estonia in an official note about its intention to back out of the border agreement the two countries recently signed.
"Estonian charge d'affaires in Russia Anne Harmaste was invited to the Russian Foreign Ministry on Sept. 6, where she was presented a note stating that Russia does not intend to take part in the agreement on the Russian-Estonian state border and the Russian-Estonian agreement on the demarcation of maritime areas in the Narva Bay and Gulf of Finland, signed in Moscow on May 18," the Russian ministry said in a report quoted by the Interfax news agency.
Estonia and Russia signed the border treaties on May 18, and Parliament ratified them on June 20. President Arnold Ruutel promulgated the act on June 22.
But on June 27 Moscow declared that it would retract its signature, citing as the reason a preamble added to the ratification act by Estonian MPs.
Estonian politicians have called the Russian step regrettable, saying it lacks precedent.
"Estonia has done its best in order to have the border treaties with Russia ratified; the assertions of possible territorial claims are not true," Prime Minister Andrus Ansip told the daily Postimees. "It is a pity the Russian side does not want to ratify agreements it has signed."
Politicians have also said Moscow's abandoning the border accord makes it more difficult for Russia to win a simplified visa regime for its citizens from the EU.
