Ukraine's gas transmission network not on agenda in talks with Russia, Presidential Secretariat says

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The issue on the change of the pattern of ownership of the Ukrainian gas transmission system is not on the agenda in gas talks with Russia, according to Oleksandr Shlapak, Deputy Head of the Presidential Secretariat.

He recalled that in accordance with the Ukrainian legislation, any changes in the use of Ukraine's gas transmission network without consent of the Ukrainian parliament are impossible.

"No one is now considering the shift in the form of the use or the pattern of ownership of the gas transmission system," the official stressed.

Shlapak also noted that the parties are discussing various options of gas payments. In particular, prepayment by the Russian Federation for gas transition via Ukraine's territory is seen as one of the possible sources.

"If they [Gazprom] are practically ready to credit us, so, having actually paid for the transit service a year in advance, they call their particular terms. Then goes a kitchen, I am not yet empowered to reveal," he said.

According to JSC Gazprom's official representative Sergey Kupriyanov, as one of the options of paying off the debt, Gazprom offers Ukraine to make an advance payment for gas transmission at the current rate of USD 1.7 per 1,000 cu m for 100 km. "I hope, we will mange to do this for the time left," he said adding that next year the gas price for Ukraine will be higher than in 2008.

In 2008, the gas price for Ukraine was USD 179.5 per 1,000 cu m.

UKRINFORM