Russia urged talks with Ukraine to resolve lingering issues on the Black Sea Fleet on Wednesday amid a dispute between the two former Soviet republics over a lighthouse linked to the fleet.

"It is encouraging that ... there have been voices in favor of resuming active Russian-Ukrainian dialogue to resolve issues regarding the stationing of the Black Sea Fleet on the Crimea peninsula based on mutual trust and without playing politics," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Moscow is ready for a constructive exchange of views with Kiev when the Russia-Ukraine subcommission on the fleet meets in early February, the ministry said.

Russia and Ukraine signed an accord in 1997 on dividing up the Soviet Black Sea Fleet. Under the deal, Russia leases the Sevastopol port in Ukraine's Crimea peninsula to base its ships until 2017.
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Last week, a Ukrainian state company seized a lighthouse in the Crimean city of Yalta that serves the fleet and denied Russian servicemen access to it.

Russian navy officials accused Ukraine of violating the lease agreement that allows the Black Sea Fleet to use Ukraine's facilities.

After Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko took power in late 2004, relations between the two countries have become increasingly strained. Ukrainian officials have on many occasions hinted at a hike of the lease fees to bring them in line with the payments other governments make to house military bases abroad.

(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2006)