Backgrounder: Russia's gas pipelines
to Europe
ANKARA, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's Energy and
Natural Resources Minister Mehmet Hilmi Guler said on Saturday Turkey was
holding talks with Russia and Ukraine to end their natural gas dispute.
Turkey continued its mediation to solve the natural
gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine, Guler was quoted as saying by the
semi-official Anatolia news agency.
"We have talked with Gazprom (Russia's gas company)
and Naftogaz (Ukraine's gas company), and the energy ministers of two
countries," Guler said.
Guler said he met Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy
Korsunsky to Turkey on Thursday, and discussed recent developments and proposals
for a settlement.
Korsunsky conveyed him a letter signed by deputy
prime minister of Ukraine, head of Naftogaz executive board and European
commissioner for energy, which is about Ukraine's demands from Turkey for a
settlement, Guler said.
Turkey knew well about its responsibilities to
provide natural gas for not only its citizens but also for Europe, and hoped
that the dispute would be solved as soon as possible, according to the minister.
On Jan. 6, Guler announced the flow of natural gas
from the western line of Russia to Turkey via Ukraine completely stopped.
Russia cut off gas supply to Ukraine on New Year's
Day after the two countries failed to come to terms on Ukraine's payment of
arrears and prices for 2009.
A week later, Russia stopped pumping all gas to
Europe through Ukraine, saying it had been forced to do so because Ukraine
closed down all gas transit routes to Europe.
EU calls for production hike amid gas
crisis
BRUSSELS, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- European Union (EU) energy
experts urged European producers on Friday to hike production as Russian gas
supplies to Europe via Ukraine remained cut-off.
"The extent of the current gas crisis is
unprecedented in European history," energy experts from the 27 EU member states
said in a statement after a meeting with industry representatives under the
framework of the EU's gas coordination group on Friday in Brussels.Full story
Russia sets conditions to resume gas
flows to Europe via Ukraine
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Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev (R)
speaks with Gazprom Chief Executive Alexei Miller in Krasnaya Polyana,
near Sochi, January 9, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Photo
Gallery>>> |
MOSCOW, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Russia's state gas monopoly
Gazprom said it would resume supplies to Europe via Ukraine on Friday if an
agreement allowing a EU-led monitoring team to track gas flows through Ukraine
was signed. Full story
EU demands immediate resumption of gas
deliveries
BRUSSELS, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) on
Friday demanded that Russia and Ukraine immediately resume gas deliveries to the
bloc's member states, saying that EU monitors for the process were already in
place.
"There is now agreement on the details of the monitoring
mission. It is now imperative that the gas starts to flow to the EU without any
further delay," the European Commission said in a statement. Full story
EU strikes deal with Russia on gas monitoring
BRUSSELS, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU)
reached a deal with Russia on the deployment of monitors to check gas flow via
Ukraine, paving the way for the resumption of Russian gas supplies to Europe,
the Czech EU presidency said late Thursday.
"The Czech
Prime Minister and the Russian Prime Minister agreed on the conditions of
deployment of the monitoring commission at all locations that are relevant for
the flow of gas," the Czech government said in a statement. Full story
