Monitors of the European Union (EU) work at a measuring station of the Russian gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine pipelines, in Uzhgorod, western Ukraine, Jan. 12, 2008. The EU said on Sunday that its monitors had already reached most of their destination points and were already starting their monitoring work, a key condition Russia has insisted on before resuming gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine pipelines. (Xinhua/Ukrinform/Sergei Gudak) Photo Gallery>>>
MOSCOW, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom announced on Tuesday its resumption of gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine, local media reported.
Gazprom's chief operator issued the order to resume
gas supplies via the Sudzha gas distribution station in Ukraine, which pumps
76.6 million cubic meters a day.
The gas will be pipelined for consumers in the Balkan
region, Turkey and Moldova, Itar-Tass said.
The resumption was witnessed by both representatives from Gazprom and its Ukrainian counterpart Naftogaz, as well as European Commission observer Michael Huesken at the Sudzha station.
A monitor of the European Union (EU) works at a measuring station of the Russian gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine pipelines, in Uzhgorod, western Ukraine, Jan. 12, 2008.(Xinhua/Ukrinform/Sergei Gudak) Photo Gallery>>>
Russia cut off gas supplies to Ukraine on Jan. 1
after the two sides failed to reach a new deal for 2009 and resolve differences
over payments due. And tensions were built up when Russia shut off all gas
supplies to Europe via Ukraine on Jan. 7, accusing Ukraine of stealing gas.
Countries from Turkey to the Baltics were greatly
affected by the supply cut as Europe experienced an unusually cold winter. The
EU then brokered a deal to end the standoff, under which it would send monitors
to supervise gas flows at transit points.
Ukraine on Monday signed a new deal on monitoring
Russian gas transit to Europe, removing conditions that Russia had opposed and
clearing the final obstacle for Russia to resume gas supplies to Europe.
A similar dispute resulted in a briefly interrupted
delivery of Russian gas to European countries in January 2006.
Russia supplies about one-quarter of the EU's natural
gas, some 80 percent of which is shipped through Ukraine.
A worker walks at a measuring station of
the Russian gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine pipelines, in Uzhgorod,
western Ukraine, Jan. 12, 2008. The EU said on Sunday that its monitors
had already reached most of their destination points and were already
starting their monitoring work, a key condition Russia has insisted on
before resuming gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine pipelines.
(Xinhua/Ukrinform/Sergei Gudak) Photo
Gallery>>>
BRUSSELS, Jan. 12
(Xinhua) -- Russia will restore gas supply to Europe Tuesday after an
interruption of nearly a week, the European Union (EU) said Monday.
Russia had promised to start pumping natural gas again to
the 27-nation bloc via Ukraine after a deal on a monitoring mission was finally
agreed upon, said Czech Industry and Trade Minister Martin Riman, whose country
holds the EU's rotating presidency. Full story
BRUSSELS, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- The European Union said here
on Monday that it expects Russian gas to resume flowing to Europe on Tuesday
morning as Ukraine gave up its unilateral demand attached to the original
deal.
"In the morning Ukraine gave up its unilateral declaration
and gas supplies will start via Ukraine to the EU tomorrow morning," Czech
Industry Minister Martin Riman told a press conference after chairing an EU
energy ministers' extraordinary meeting. The Czech Republic now holds the
rotating EU presidency. Full story
KIEV, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia
Tymoshenko said on Monday that it was up to Russia to provide "technical gas"
needed to maintain pipeline pressure and keep supplies flowing in additional to
the amounts actually due for delivery to customers in the European Union.
"Ukraine cannot unfortunately supply the gas to the
European Union" without an additional 21 million cubic meters of "technical gas"
per day from Russia, Tymoshenko told reporters during a visit to Yevpatoriya in
southern Ukraine, according to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency. Full story
