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Ukrainian ambassador: â€œI wish to see a day when natural gas will not be a political commodityâ€

16 July 2009 11:45 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Lachin Sultanova â€“ APA. â€œUkraine welcomes Azerbaijan-Russian gas deal, as well as intergovernmental Nabucco agreementâ€, said Ukrainian ambassador to Azerbaijan Boris Klimchuk at a press conference on Thursday, APA reports. He said Ukraine supported Azerbaijanâ€™s access to the new gas market and this agreement would bring novelties in the price and transit issues.

The diplomat said at first view Nabucco was seen as an alternative to the gas pipelines passed through the Ukrainian territory. â€œEurope will increase gas transportation 1.7 times by 2015 and therefore Ukraine starts reconstruction of its gas transportation system and prepares to supply additional 60 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Europe. 31 billion cubic meters planned to be supplied via Nabucco is not enough for Europe considering the ending of gas fields in Norway. Competition between the pipelines or their bypassing of somebody is an attempt to politicize the issue. I wish to see a day when natural gas will not be a political commodity. Oil is not a political commodity alreadyâ€.

The ambassador reminded that coal and steel were political commodities during and after the World War II in Europe. â€œThe European coal-steel union led to the establishing of European Union and the opening of the borders. Gas is the last political commodity in the planet, which damages on mankind and world consumers. Therefore we welcome Nabucco because it is a well-calculated project and new market relationsâ€.

Klimchuk said Ukrainian leading companies were interested in Nabucco project and intended to participate in the construction of the pipeline.