CIS

Home page

CIS

Russian and Ukrainian presidents discuss gas crisis in phone conversation

08 January 2009 08:23 (UTC +04:00)

Medvedev said they didnâ€™t stop talks with Ukraine and were ready to resume at any time and urged his counterpart to give necessary instructions to the Ukrainian government and energy officials concerning this issue. Medvedev said cutting of gas transportation related with the Ukraineâ€™s misappropriation of the gas. The Russian leader called on Ukraine to pay its debt in a short time. He proposed to create control mechanism consisting of representatives of gas companies and energy ministries of both countries, as well as EU observers and representatives of international law firms to resume gas supply to Europe via Ukraine.

Yushchenko called on Russia to resume gas supply for the European consumers soon and said Kiev was ready to take all measures for providing of gas transit. The Ukrainian president proposed to establish special commission of the representatives of both countries and Europe. In his opinion, this commission should investigate causes of the crisis and prepare recommendations for reaching of normal regime. Yushchenko said the debt for natural gas purchased from Russia last year was fully paid on December 30, 2008.