At midnight,
January 14, Ukraine's
Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko had a phone conversation with Russia's
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. During their conversation an agreement was
reached to hold gas talks between the governments of the two countries on Saturday,
January 17, in Moscow.
The sides discussed
principles for solving all problems in the gas sphere. The prime ministers
of Ukraine
and Russia
also discussed conditions to recommence Russian gas transit to EU countries.
Also, Prime Minister Yulia
Tymoshenko sent an urgent telegram to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in
which she guaranteed that the full volume of natural gas, which Russia will
send to the gas transport system of Ukraine, will
be delivered to EU countries, with the exception of 8 percent of gas which will
be used for technical purposes (to make the gas compressor units of the
transport system functioning).
In this telegram the Government of
Ukraine also guaranteed to the Government of Russia that Ukraine
will pay for natural gas used for technical purposes, immediately after the
price for Russian natural gas for Ukraine
is agreed.
The
dialogue between the prime ministers of Ukraine
and Russia
was constructive and is a positive sign for solving all the problems
in the gas sphere. Prime Minister Tymoshenko believes that it will be possible
to find a compromise.
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