BRUSSELS, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU)
called on Friday for immediate resumption of full deliveries of gas to its
member states after Hungary and Poland suffered reduced supplies due to Russia's
dispute with Ukraine.
"The European Union calls for an urgent solution to
the commercial dispute on gas supplies from the Russian Federation to Ukraine
and for an immediate resumption of full deliveries of gas to the EU member
states," the Czech government, which assumed the EU presidency in the new year,
said in a statement.
A worker checks the gas pressure in
Hungary's pipelines at oil and gas group MOL's gas transmission subsidiary
in Vecses Jan. 2, 2009. The European Union (EU) called on Friday for
immediate resumption of full deliveries of gas to its member states.
(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
It said the EU regrets the fact that assurances of
the reliability of energy supply have not been met and will continue to monitor
the situation closely.
"Existing commitments to supply and transit have to
be honored under all circumstances," the statement said.
The European Commission said separately it had been
informed by the gas transmission operators of Hungary and in Poland about
irregularities in gas received through the Ukrainian gas pipelines.
Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom's
headquarters is seen in Moscow, Jan. 2, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
Hungary suffered a reduction of 10 million cubic
meters out of a contracted volume of 42 million cubic meters, while Polish
company Gas System declared that gas deliveries from Ukraine had been reduced
around 6 percent compared with the volumes of gas contracted.
Meanwhile, the gas volumes coming from Russia to
Poland through Belarus have been increased.
The commission said at this point in time there is no
immediate danger for the supplies of European citizens.
Russia halted supply of natural gas to Ukraine on
Thursday after the two sides failed to reach a deal on a contract dispute,
arousing concerns that gas supply to Europe may be disrupted since the EU
receives a fifth of its gas from pipelines which cross Ukraine.
EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs said he will
be in contact with all the parties involved to identify the causes of the
irregularities and ask for the immediate resumption of full deliveries of gas to
the EU.
A spokesman for the Czech presidency said Friday a
crisis meeting of envoys from the 27 EU member states will be held Monday to
discuss the gas dispute between Russian and Ukraine.
KIEV,
Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Gas dispute with Russia will be settled by Jan.7, Ukrainian
President Viktor Yushchenko said in a statement Thursday.
"I think that we are close to a compromise and I ask
the Russian president, the Russian prime minister and Ukrainian negotiators ...
to do all they can so the talks can be completed as soon as possible."
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The United States urged Russia and Ukraine to
resolve their natural gas disputes through negotiations on Thursday.
"We hope that Russia and Ukraine can resolve their dispute
over the gas debt and the terms of their natural gas supply arrangements in a
transparent, commercial manner," U.S. National Security Council spokesman Gordon
Johndroe told reporters at President George W. Bush's Texas ranch. Full story
BRUSSELS, Jan. 1
(Xinhua) -- The Czech Republic, which holds the rotating European Union (EU)
presidency, and the European Commission on Thursday expressed concern over the
gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine and asked for continued negotiations to
find a solution.
"All existing commitments to supply and transit (gas to
the EU)must be honored," Czech Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra was quoted
as saying in a joint statement of the two EU institutions. Full story
MOSCOW, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Russia's state gas monopoly
Gazprom cut all natural gas supplies to Ukraine on Thursday morning after talks
broke down over payments for past shipments and a new energy price contract for
2009, a company spokesman said.
"Gas supplies have been completely cut as of 10:00 a.m.
(0700 GMT) today," spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said at a press conference.
Full story
KIEV, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine pledged to pay more than
2 billion U.S. dollars to settle its debt for Russian gas imports, the country's
gas company Naftogaz spokesman Valentyn Zemlyansky said on Tuesday.
"Naftogaz will take loans from Ukraine's two biggest
state-controlled banks to pay off the debt," Zemlyansky said, adding that the
money will be transferred to Russia late Tuesday.
The Ukrainian government said it will guarantee "all
measures" needed to fulfill the order on the loans. Full story
MOSCOW, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- The era of cheap gas is coming
to an end, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Tuesday, while proposing
to establish a permanent organization of world gas producers.
Despite the global financial crisis and a slowing
world economy, the era of cheap energy, including cheap gas, is coming to an
end, the Interfax news agency quoted Putin as telling an international meeting
of gas producers. Full story
