The Ukrainian president has assured the EU that a recently signed
agreement on natural gas transits from Russia to Europe through Ukraine
will be fully implemented, the European Commission president said
Tuesday, RIA Novosti reported. Jose Manuel Barroso said after a meeting with Viktor
Yushchenko in Brussels that the Ukrainian leader had assured him that
Kiev would stick to the gas deal even though he is not fully content
with the agreement.
Russian gas transits to Europe through
Ukraine stopped on January 7 after Russia accused Ukraine of stealing
Europe-bound gas and both sides failed to reach an agreement over a new
gas contract.
Transits resumed January 20 after supply and
transit contracts were signed with EU mediation. Days after the
contracts had been signed, however, Yushchenko's aides said the
president was unhappy with the deal and demanded new talks.
Barroso also said an international investment conference on modernizing
the Ukrainian gas transportation system, involving representatives from
the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, will be held in
Brussels March 21.
A gas pricing row between the former Soviet
neighbors in 2006 also led to disruptions in shipments to some European
consumers, and the latest spat has reawakened concerns about the
reliability of Russia as a supplier.
