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EU monitors in place and gas to flow
January 12, 2009, Monday
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TEAMS of EU monitors traveled to gas pumping stations yesterday along Ukraine's extensive pipeline network, as Russia prepared to resume natural gas shipments through Ukraine to Europe.
Ukraine signed a deal early yesterday to allow European, Russian and its own experts to track the flow of Russian gas through Ukraine pipelines. The Kremlin insisted on a written agreement on the multinational monitoring mission before it would restart gas flows.
Russia's state gas giant Gazprom cut off all supplies to Europe last Wednesday amid an acrimonious dispute over prices, deliveries and debts with Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials say it may take up to three days for gas to reach European countries.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin promised that Moscow would resume gas shipments through Ukraine once the deal is signed and monitors are in place.
Those monitors were to arrive at gas shipment control centers on Ukraine's border with Russia and with European countries yesterday, officials with Ukraine's state gas company Naftogaz said.
Russia demanded the monitors, saying it was the only way to prevent Ukraine from stealing Russian gas intended for Europe. Ukraine hotly denied the accusation, saying Russia was not providing enough gas to pump the rest of the gas west to Europe.
Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, shuttled between Moscow and Kiev on Saturday to mediate the deal. He finally persuaded Ukraine to accept the monitoring pact during marathon talks which dragged into early yesterday.
"Nothing prevents Russia now from resuming gas supplies," Topolanek said.
"We once again have shown our goodwill," Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said, adding that the mission will show Ukraine to be an "honest transit country."
Bohdan Sokolovsky, an energy adviser to the Ukrainian president, told The Associated Press it would take Russia about 30 hours to start the flow of gas, and then it would take an additional 36 hours for Ukraine to pump the gas to its western borders.
Russia supplies about one-quarter of the EU's natural gas, 80 percent of it shipped through Ukraine, and the disruption has come as the continent was gripped by subfreezing temperatures. At least 11 people froze to death last week in Europe, including 10 in Poland, where temperatures sunk to minus 25 Celcius. EU governments have criticized Russia and Ukraine for the crisis.
Both Russia and Ukraine have been hard hit by the global economic slowdown. Energy is the driving force behind Russia's economy, and the fall in oil prices in recent months has hit Moscow hard. Ukraine, meanwhile, faces economic collapse and is desperate to avoid higher gas prices.
Ukraine signed a deal early yesterday to allow European, Russian and its own experts to track the flow of Russian gas through Ukraine pipelines. The Kremlin insisted on a written agreement on the multinational monitoring mission before it would restart gas flows.
Russia's state gas giant Gazprom cut off all supplies to Europe last Wednesday amid an acrimonious dispute over prices, deliveries and debts with Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials say it may take up to three days for gas to reach European countries.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin promised that Moscow would resume gas shipments through Ukraine once the deal is signed and monitors are in place.
Those monitors were to arrive at gas shipment control centers on Ukraine's border with Russia and with European countries yesterday, officials with Ukraine's state gas company Naftogaz said.
Russia demanded the monitors, saying it was the only way to prevent Ukraine from stealing Russian gas intended for Europe. Ukraine hotly denied the accusation, saying Russia was not providing enough gas to pump the rest of the gas west to Europe.
Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, shuttled between Moscow and Kiev on Saturday to mediate the deal. He finally persuaded Ukraine to accept the monitoring pact during marathon talks which dragged into early yesterday.
"Nothing prevents Russia now from resuming gas supplies," Topolanek said.
"We once again have shown our goodwill," Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said, adding that the mission will show Ukraine to be an "honest transit country."
Bohdan Sokolovsky, an energy adviser to the Ukrainian president, told The Associated Press it would take Russia about 30 hours to start the flow of gas, and then it would take an additional 36 hours for Ukraine to pump the gas to its western borders.
Russia supplies about one-quarter of the EU's natural gas, 80 percent of it shipped through Ukraine, and the disruption has come as the continent was gripped by subfreezing temperatures. At least 11 people froze to death last week in Europe, including 10 in Poland, where temperatures sunk to minus 25 Celcius. EU governments have criticized Russia and Ukraine for the crisis.
Both Russia and Ukraine have been hard hit by the global economic slowdown. Energy is the driving force behind Russia's economy, and the fall in oil prices in recent months has hit Moscow hard. Ukraine, meanwhile, faces economic collapse and is desperate to avoid higher gas prices.
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