Timoshenko lauds Yalta meeting of CIS prime ministers

20.11.2009, 19.19

YALTA, November 20, 2009 (Itar-Tass) --

The Yalta meeting of CIS prime ministers was very efficient, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko told a Friday press briefing.

“Being the host of this meeting, I can tell you that it was very efficient. We discussed over 20 issues vital for our countries,” she said.

The meeting summed up results of anti-crisis measures in each CIS member state, Timoshenko said. “We exchanged experience, discussed best anti-crisis measures and laid them down as the foundation of further cleanup of aftereffects of the world financial crisis,” she said.

“Ukraine supports all documents, which have been drafted to optimize energy cooperation in the CIS. The documents signed by Ukraine are a joint response to the global financial crisis. They will play a very important positive role in the recovery of our economies,” Timoshenko said.

She emphasized the importance of coordinated development of international transport corridors and said that would help Ukraine use its transit potential.

The agreement on cooperation in innovations “was one of the most important, as it would enable our countries to keep an eye on newest research and development,” Timoshenko said.

“The Yalta meeting shows that the CIS is gaining strength year to year,” she added.

No gas payment problems expected in Ukraine this winter –- official

18.11.2009, 23.47

MOSCOW, November 18, 2009 (Itar-Tass) --

No gas payment problems expected in Ukraine this winter, Russian Permanent Representative to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov said on Wednesday.

“Russia hopes that it will be possible to avoid a repetition of last year’s crisis in Russian gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine,” Chizhov said.

“The main question now is whether or not Ukraine can pay for the gas,” he added.

“Ukraine has money now, but the situation is complicated by the upcoming presidential election… Moscow hopes for a successful resolution of all existing problems,” the official said.

President Viktor Yushchenko said Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko and the top management of Naftogaz Ukrainy were responsible for payments for Russian natural gas supplies.

“Gas supply contracts were signed by the prime minister and Naftogaz Ukrainy CEO Oleg Dubina. This is why they should be responsible for payments,” the president said.

He also called for revising the gas agreements with Russia again.

“There is no doubt that Ukraine will make all payments for the gas consumed. But the penalties facing Ukraine are absurd. Gas relations in 2010 should be revised,” Yushchenko said.

“In order to make further politicisation and artificial aggravation of relations in the gas sector impossible, these agreements have to be revised,” presidential spokeswoman Irina Vannikova said.

“The president of Ukraine is worried by the fact that less than two months before the end of the you're the government has failed to officially settle key parameters of equal cooperation in the gas sector with Russia,” she said.

Vannikova noted that Yushchenko believes it necessary to determine “optimum volumes of natural gas purchases from Russia in 2010, taking into account the actual state of the economy, and also introduce mutually acceptable gas pricing formulas for Ukraine and the transit rate, taking into consideration the arrangements made by the presidents of the two states on February 12, 2008”.