MOSCOW () -- Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma proposed Saturday that his country and Russia first sign a comprehensive friendship treaty and then continue talks on dividing the former Soviet Black Sea fleet.


President Boris Yeltsin has refused to sign the long-awaited treaty until the thorny fleet issue is resolved.


"Boris Nikolayevich should come and sign the agreement. Then we should continue the existing strategic partnership and consistently solve the Black Sea Fleet problem," Kuchma said. He spoke a day after Yeltsin vetoed a parliament bill claiming the disputed fleet as Russia's property.