“Long way gas story” in Ukraine to be continued

At last Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers ratified the agreement between "Naftogas Ukraine" and Russian "Gasprom" about gas supply for Ukraine until the end of 2008.

At the same time Ukrainian premier-minister Julia Timoshenko noticed that Ukrainian government is going to continue gas negotiations with "Gasprom". Because government has some remarks, one of them is question: who will supply gas to Ukraine in 2008- "Gasprom", "Gaspromexport" or RosUkrEnergo( RUE).

She reminded that Russian president Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian president Viktor Yuschenko agreed on 12 of February this year about gas supply through RUE during the three month of current year and only in capacity of 7, 5 milliard cubic metres.

The rest of 2008 Ukraine will get gas of central- and middle Asian origin in capacity of not less 49, 8-milliard cubic metres for 179, 5 doll/1000 cubic metres.

But now, according to new agreements, neither RUE nor UkrGasEnergo, joint companies of "Naftogas" and "Gasprom", as betweeners, have no legal rights to take gas on the Ukrainian-Russian custom after March 2008.

It should notice that gas negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have been started before 2008 and have been lasted during January-March 2008. At the first days of 2008  "Gasprom" declared that Ukraine didn't pay for the gas , already used in 2007. That's why "Gasprom" promised to cut or shorten gas supply for Ukraine,  if gas debt will not be settled.

Recently the gas, used by Ukraine, in 2007 was paid. J.Timoschenko promised to return "Gasprom" only this summer the Russian gas, used by Ukraine in January-February current year. It ‘ll done during gas summer pumping to Ukrainian underground depository.

It's not the end "long way gas story" in Ukraine. As J.Timoschenko declared, gas negotiations with Russia will be continued during whole 2008, and price for gas might be increased.

Considering strained relations between V.Yuschenko and J.Timoschenko, happened since meeting  Russian and Ukrainian presidents in Moscow on 12 February this year, the gas question become point of quarrel inside Ukrainian Verchovna rada ( parliament).

6 March J.Timoshenko sent letter for V.Juschenko, where she noticed that gas supply to Ukraine was renewed thank to efforts of Tioshenko government. She wrote that her Cabinet of Ministers didn't agree with creation of new betweener for selling of Russian gas to Ukraine, about, allegedly, agreed two presidents what.

President of Ukraine instantaneously reacted on the premier-minister letter. He commented that letter: "I am bored with this politics of speculative enterprises and intrigues. I don't understand what premier-minister wanted to say".

The head of Ukrainian president Secretariat Viktor Baloga noted that J.Timoshenko in her letter  distorted the content of gas agreement, achieved on the meeting V.Yuschenko and V.Putin. He also declared that premier-minister misinformed Ukrainian population about president efforts to solve gas problems in Ukraine.