¡¡¡¡MOSCOW, Oct. 31 (Xinhuanet) -- Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov will bring no exhilarating news back to Kremlin after meeting with the Ukrainian side on the simmering dispute over a strategically significant island, raising a vague prospect for final settlement of the territorial standoff.

¡¡¡¡It had been earnestly anticipated that Ivanov, who arrived in Ukraine's capital of Kiev Thursday, would reach an agreement with his Ukrainian counterpart Konstantin Gryshchenko on how to solve the month-long crisis over the Tuzla Island, which controls the Kerch Strait connecting the Azov Sea and the Black Sea.

¡¡¡¡However, the day-long talks ended with no concrete decisions except for an agreement of setting up working groups to continue the negotiations, the first round of which is set for next week inKiev at the deputy foreign ministerial level.

¡¡¡¡Tensions between the two countries erupted on Sept. 29 when Russia began to build a dike stretching from its southern mainlandtoward the Tuzla Island near the frontier with Ukraine on the Kerch Strait.

¡¡¡¡Although Russia explained that the dike was built to curb the seashore erosion and protect the ecological system, Ukraine immediately dispatched border guards to the island, denouncing Russia's move as one that would enable itself to dominate the strait.

¡¡¡¡Russia said earlier that under an agreement reached on Oct. 24 in Moscow, Ukraine agreed to withdraw its troops from the island in exchange for Russia's halting of the dike project.

¡¡¡¡Russia then suspended the construction of the dam about 100 meters away from the Ukrainian border, pressing Ukraine to honor its promise.

¡¡¡¡Nevertheless, Kiev disavowed the pledge on the withdrawal of its border guards, saying it was pondering upon Russia's demand, which brought the dispute to a standoff.

¡¡¡¡Resolving the Russian-Ukrainian territorial dispute is destinedto be a formidable task for both sides, taking into account the strategic and economic significance of the Kerch Strait where the island stands.

¡¡¡¡The strait, 41 km in length, 4-15 km in width and 5-15 meters in depth, lies between Ukraine's Kerch Peninsula and Russia's Taman Peninsula.

¡¡¡¡With busy shipping routes, the strait is not only a key shipping gateway between the Black Sea and the Azov Sea, but also rich in fishing resources. Some experts also say it has potentially rich oil fields on the sea bed.

¡¡¡¡What's more, the strait serves as an important access for Russia to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.

¡¡¡¡Since the collapse of the former Soviet Union, Russia and Ukraine have been at odds over the strait, bargaining on where to draw a border line to divide the water area.

¡¡¡¡Ukraine insists on demarcating lines on the water surface in accordance with the international law, instead of those on the seafloor as Russia has required.

¡¡¡¡Apart from the divergence over delimitation, Kiev and Moscow also differed with each other as to the legal ownership of the Tuzla Island, which was once the end of a pit stretching from Russia's mainland but was blown away by a storm in 1925.

¡¡¡¡The former Soviet Union granted the Crimea Peninsula to Ukrainein 1954 and left many Russians still wondering whether the island was included in the action.

¡¡¡¡On the one hand, Ukraine firmly claims the island its own territory, and on the other Russia has not provided convincing legal documents to support its claim.

¡¡¡¡While trying all out to safeguard their respective territorial sovereignty, neither Russia nor Ukraine seems to easily concede toeach other on issues that may impair their national interests.

¡¡¡¡It is hard to predict how and when diplomats of the two countries will resolve the Tuzla dispute, but it is beyond doubt that the upcoming negotiations must be a tough challenge and a test of patience on both sides. Enditem