Related News
EU leads talks to set up gas monitoring pact
Source: Agencies |
January 11, 2009, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
The European Union was scheduled to hold talks with Russia yesterday to finalize a gas monitoring deal to allow resumption of supplies to Europe via Ukraine, cut off over a pricing row.
Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, representing the EU presidency, will lead the talks with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
On Friday, Topolanek, who met Ukrainian officials, said he had an agreement with Ukraine and a "similar pledge" from Russia to allow experts from either side to work in the other country to monitor gas flows from Russia to Europe.
The dispute between Moscow and Kiev has led to the worst ever disruption of Russian gas supplies to Europe, has closed some factories in eastern Europe and increased fears in the EU over future reliance on Russian gas deliveries.
The row has increased political tensions between Moscow and Kiev with Russia accusing Ukraine of corruption and stealing gas.
Kiev maintained that Russia was seeking to humiliate Ukraine. Both deny the charges.
The presence of monitoring missions along the transit routes for Russian gas will reassure Moscow that the gas it pumps across Ukraine is not being siphoned off.
Moscow said it shut off gas through its ex-Soviet neighbor earlier last week because of the siphoning.
Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, representing the EU presidency, will lead the talks with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
On Friday, Topolanek, who met Ukrainian officials, said he had an agreement with Ukraine and a "similar pledge" from Russia to allow experts from either side to work in the other country to monitor gas flows from Russia to Europe.
The dispute between Moscow and Kiev has led to the worst ever disruption of Russian gas supplies to Europe, has closed some factories in eastern Europe and increased fears in the EU over future reliance on Russian gas deliveries.
The row has increased political tensions between Moscow and Kiev with Russia accusing Ukraine of corruption and stealing gas.
Kiev maintained that Russia was seeking to humiliate Ukraine. Both deny the charges.
The presence of monitoring missions along the transit routes for Russian gas will reassure Moscow that the gas it pumps across Ukraine is not being siphoned off.
Moscow said it shut off gas through its ex-Soviet neighbor earlier last week because of the siphoning.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
