Subject: Polish border issues [2]: Włodawa visit<br/>
Date: Aug 07, 2002 @ 12:11<br/>
Author: Pepijn Hendriks (&quot;Pepijn Hendriks&quot; &lt;pepijnh@gmx.net&gt;)<br/>
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<div id="ygrps-yiv-1996926707">Seven months ago, I posted the report of a visit to Włodawa <br/>
(Wlodawa), a city very close to the tripoint PlByUa (see message <br/>
#5209). I didn&#39;t get to the actual tripoint due to adverse weather <br/>
conditions (snow) and travel companions who weren&#39;t all that keen to <br/>
see a tripoint. <br/>
<br/>
I didn&#39;t see the tripoint that time round, but posted a few pictures <br/>
of the Bug river, at that point separating Poland from Belarus. I <br/>
also posted a scan from a 1:100,000 topographical map, showing the <br/>
border in Włodawa and at the actual tripoint, just south of <br/>
Orzechowo. <br/>
<br/>
I promised to keep you posted if I should try and reach the tripoint <br/>
again, which happened one Saturday in April. Here&#39;s the report. <br/>
<br/>
On the internet, I found a very interesting Belarusian document <br/>
(&lt;<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://pravo2000.by.ru/baza10/d092909.htm">http://pravo2000.by.ru/baza10/d092909.htm</a>&gt;). It&#39;s a resolution form <br/>
<br/>
the Belarusian government &quot;on conducting talks to reach an agreement <br/>
between the government of the Republic of Belarus, the government of <br/>
the Republic of Poland and the government of Ukraine about the <br/>
procedure of marking the meeting point of the state borders&quot;. This <br/>
resolution was passed on 16 March 1998. A concept agreement was <br/>
appended. This is the only document I&#39;ve been able to find that <br/>
describes the tripoint, actual or proposed. <br/>
<br/>
The first article and second article run as follows:<br/>
<br/>
-----<br/>
Article 1<br/>
<br/>
1. The meeting point of the state borders of the Republic of Belarus, <br/>
<br/>
the Republic of Poland, and Ukraine, henceforth referred to as <br/>
&quot;border meeting point&quot;, is located on the intersection of the lines, <br/>
going through the middle of the river Zapadnyj Bug [Western Bug] and <br/>
the southern edge of the Mostickij canal, which is located at 1.6 <br/>
kilometres to the south-east of the hight marked 166.0 (1280) with <br/>
the geographic co-ordinates 513031 NL and 233710 EL, as determined <br/>
graphically in the 1942 co-ordinates system. <br/>
<br/>
2. The position of the border meeting point is shown with the <br/>
conventional sign &#39;X&#39; at the Map of the meeting point of the borders <br/>
of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Poland, and Ukraine, <br/>
scale 1:100,000, which is appended to this Agreement, of which it <br/>
constitutes an inalienable part.<br/>
<br/>
Article 2<br/>
<br/>
To demarcate the border meeting point the Parties will erect a <br/>
special border sign &quot;Bug&quot;.<br/>
-----<br/>
<br/>
As this is a concept agreement, there is no map attached. I haven&#39;t <br/>
been able to find any follow up to this resolution, in either of the <br/>
three involved countries. (I have performed searches in legislative <br/>
databases of these countries.) I don&#39;t know whether agreement has <br/>
been reached or there is still no official demarcation of the <br/>
tripoint, or even a decision where the tripoint actually is!<br/>
<br/>
(The concept agreement suggests that the three countries will take <br/>
turns in maintaining the border marker: every year, another country <br/>
would be responsible.)<br/>
<br/>
On the map posted with message #5209, the mentioned canal is clearly <br/>
visible, as is the closest border marker on Polish soil, marker <br/>
#1123. <br/>
<br/>
The pictures &quot;Border marker 1123.jpg&quot; and &quot;Border marker 1123 (close-<br/>
up).jpg&quot; show this marker. The Polish marker is about 20 metres from <br/>
the river bank. Easy access to the bank is prevented by bushes and <br/>
shrubs. When you get to the river, you have the view as in picture <br/>
&quot;Bug river (facing south).jpg&quot;. The picture shows Belarus on the <br/>
opposite bank, with Ukraine in the background. <br/>
I haven&#39;t been able to discover the canal separating Belarus and <br/>
Ukraine. It may have been somewhat more to the south. The shrubs <br/>
didn&#39;t look attractive, so they and a threatening sky made us decide <br/>
against trying to locate the canal. <br/>
<br/>
So whereas I haven&#39;t seen the actual tripoint itself, but have gone <br/>
as near as circumstances at the time allowed, I feel somewhat <br/>
justified in claiming that I have visited it. Especially since <br/>
probably no-one on this group has been anywhere near it :-)<br/>
<br/>
The last picture is a road sign in Włodawa showing the way to <br/>
Dorohusk and Terespol. Dorohusk is a major Polish-Ukrainian border <br/>
crossing, Terespol a major Polish-Belarusian one. It was funny to see <br/>
<br/>
them mentioned on one and the same sign. <br/>
<br/>
So that was my second visit to Włodawa and surroundings. If I ever <br/>
get any closer, I will let you know. But as I&#39;m back in the <br/>
Netherlands now, that may take quite some time. :-)<br/>
<br/>
-Pepijn</div>