UKRAINIAN AND POLISH PRESIDENTS AGREE TO LAUNCH ODESA-BRODY OIL PIPELINE IN DIRECT MODE IN MID 2008

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Ukraine and Poland plan to launch the Odessa-Brody oil pipeline in the direct mode in mid 2008, President Viktor Yushchenko and President Lech Kaczynski announced that after visiting the "Pivdennyi" maritime terminal.

V.Yushchenko explained that at the first stage of the pipeline operation oil will be transported to Brody junction and further transportation will be performed by rail. The president of Ukraine also added that among all possibilities including past ideas of reverse mode operation "only forward operation mode of the Odessa-Brody pipeline is of perspective. Other possibilities simply don't exist."

President Lech Kaczynski on his part reaffirmed Poland's interest in soonest implementation of that project. He also added that executive branch changes in his country would not affect its plans of active participation in the project. "I hope that by the time of Kyiv Energy Summit we shall see the first stage of the Odessa-Brody pipeline operation", he said. In Mr. Kaczynski's opinion, extending the pipeline to Gdansk may be possible by 2011-2012.

Presidents Yushchenko and Kaczynski visited the "Pivdennyi" maritime terminal and were acknowledged with its functioning. They were also shown presentations of "Odessa-Brody" pipeline operation perspectives. After the visit President Viktor Yushchenko signed a decree on conducting International Energy Summit in Kiev in May 2008. V. Yushchenko believes that this Summit will become a conclusion of the logistics relevant to the Odesa - Brody - Plock - Gdansk project.

During a press conference in Odesa, the president failed to specify in what way UkrTransNafta, running the pipeline, will withdraw from the agreement with Russian TransNeft and TNK-BP.

In mid 2004 UkrTransNafta and TNNK-BP signed an agreement for three years on the reverse mode of the pipeline operation providing for annual pumping of some 9 million tons of oil toward the "Pivdennyi" maritime terminal.

In December 2006 the open joint-stock company UkrTransNafta, TransNeft (Russia) and TNK-BP signed an additional agreement on cooperation for three years more.

UKRINFORM