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August 18, 2005

Romania wants to resolve a long-standing border dispute with Ukraine. At issue is a small island in the Black Sea, "Serpents Island." Ukraine and Romania has had maritime border disputes before. What makes this interesting is the possibility of off-shore oil fields and possible natural gas fields. Ukraine and Romania have had good relations, and many Romanians supported Ukraine's "Orange Revolution." Romania wants to settle the dispute in the International Court of Justice (in the Hague). This is a great improvement over the way border disputes have been traditionally settled in Eastern Europe and the Balkans-- by going to war.