Ukraine has no intention of allowing Russia to have a role in administering the natural gas transit network in Ukraine.
Andriy Lopushanskyi, first deputy to the executive director of NAK “Naftogas Ukraine,” told journalists according to Obkom referencing Ukrainian News (Ukrayinski Novyny).
According to Lopushanskyi, Gazprom is proposing the Ukrainian side to examine the question for mutual administration of the natural gas transit network on the territory of Ukraine.
“This question cannot be discussed. This is a strategic asset of Ukraine,” said he.
First deputy Lopushanskyi said that - at Council of National Security and Defense of Ukraine meeting – a decision was made to send, via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, notices to the EU states which would detail possible scenarios of what may occur on January 1st, 2006.
He also said that Ukraine is not in a breach of contract which she has with the Russia regarding the transit of Russian natural gas and its payment.
“We hope that agreements will be signed with both Russia and Turkmenistan which will diminish this tension (the question about transit and payment for natural gas),” said Lopushanskyi.
According to the first deputy, negotiations among the parties involved are taking place presently.
“We will do everything we can to ensure that the prices are minimal,” said Lopushanskyi.
Earlier, Gazprom offered as a compromise to resolve the question of the natural gas consortium. In another case, Gazprom proposed to raise the price of natural gas to $220-230 per 1000 cubic meters starting January 1st, 2006.
The network of “Ukrainian Natural Gas Transit” consists of 36 thousand kilometers, 71 compressing stations, and 12 underground natural gas reservoirs.
