KIEV, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine accused Russia on
Sunday of deliberately reducing gas flows to customers in Europe.
"We consider the actions of Gazprom as threatening
the energy security of Ukraine and Europe, which could bring unpredictable
consequences for the entire gas transit system of Europe," Ukraine's state
energy company Naftogaz said in a statement.
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The arrow of a pressure gauge points to zero at a Ukrainian gas compressor station in the village of Boyarka near the capital Kiev Jan. 3, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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"Naftogaz urges Gazprom to stop technical
manipulation of volumes and gas supply routes, synchronize the work of the gas
distribution systems of Russia, Ukraine and Europe and resume talks," the
statement said.
Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey have
reported drops in supplies after Russia's state gas monopoly Gazprom cut off
supplies to Ukraine earlier Thursday after the two sides failed to agree on
terms for a 2009 contract amid conflicts over anew price and gas transit fees.
However, other EU member states like Germany, Turkey,
Italy and the Czech Republic had not been affected by the dispute.
On Friday, Gazprom accused Ukraine of "stealing" gas
in transit. Ukrainian officials denied the accusation, saying that Russia is not
delivering the due quantities to European clients.
Around a quarter of the gas used in the union -- more
than 40 percent of the bloc's imports -- comes from Russia, and Ukraine sits on
the main transit route for gas exports, accounting for 80 percent of the
continent's gas supply from Russia.
In 2006, a dispute over gas
prices between Kiev and Moscow sent jitters among European customers after
Gazprom cut all gas supplies to Ukraine.
Economic, political wrestling behind
Russia-Ukraine gas row
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Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom's
headquarters is seen in Moscow, Jan. 3, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters
Photo)
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BEIJING, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Russia's suspension of gas supplies to Ukraine has
entered the third day with no settlement in sight. Some European countries have
begun to be affected by a gas shortfall.
On Friday, Russia's state gas monopoly Gazprom accused
Ukraine of "stealing" gas in transit. Ukrainian officials denied the accusation,
saying that they are withdrawing only enough gas to operate pumping stations
serving the pipelines.
Ukraine warns EU of serious gas
shortfall in near future
KIEV, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine warned on Saturday the European Union (EU) that
the bloc could face serious gas shortfall in around 10 days if the gas row
between Russia and Ukraine is not resolved.
"If the Russian side does not provide more gas (to EU
member states) than at the moment, then in around 10 days there could be very
serious technical problems," President Viktor Yushchenko's representative on
energy security Bogdan Sokolovski told a news conference.
Romania's gas supply not to be
affected by dispute between Ukraine, Russia:
FM
BUCHAREST, Jan. 3
(Xinhua) -- Romania's supply with gas imported from Russia will not be affected
by the problem existing between Kiev and Moscow, Romanian Foreign Minister
Cristian Diaconescu told his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Ogryzko in a
telephone conversation on Saturday.
According to a press release issued by the Romanian
Foreign Ministry, Ogryzko assured Diaconescu that Romania would have to bear no
consequences following this situation. He said he wanted Romania's support for a
European mission to come to Kiev in order to evaluate the problem of gas supply.
Russian gas supply to Bulgaria
reduces
SOFIA, Jan. 3
(Xinhua) -- The CEO of Bulgarian gas supplier "Bulgargaz" Dimiter Gogov said
Russian natural gas supply to Bulgaria went down Saturday but has not yet
reached a critical low point, according to local press report.
"The pressure in the pipe has gone down and since Saturday
morning we receive lower quantities of natural gas," Gogov said.
EU calls for immediate resumption of
gas deliveries
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.
Ukrainian president: Gas dispute with
Russia will be settled soon
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."
Russia cuts off gas supplies to Ukraine
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.
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