Ukraine ready for non-contracted pumping of gas to Europe with Russia's full-scale supply - Yushchenko

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Starting on January 1, 2009, Ukraine has not been using Russian natural gas for its domestic needs, President Viktor Yushchenko said during a joint press conference with his Polish counterpart Lech Kaczynski in Warsaw Wednesday.

Yushchenko emphasized that, from the beginning of the year Ukraine was using its domestic gas, extracted in the volume of about 20 billion cubic meters a year, and gas from underground reserves.

He noted that this country is ready to transit Russian gas to Europe even without a contract, just if it is supplied in a full volume. "If Russia's Gazprom provides 300 or 310 million cubic meters of gas for European consumers, Ukraine guarantees the delivery of that gas to European consumers, even without a transit contract or taking transit pay before final settlement of the question," he stated.

Addressing the European community, the President noted, "The problem is not with Ukrainian transit. The problem is with the supply of appropriate volumes of gas to European consumers."

Yushchenko explained that Ukraine, whose half fell short of gas after Russia stopped the supply, had to reorient its gas transportation system to the reverse mode in order to provide gas to southern and eastern provinces. And reorientation of the system for transit to European countries depends only on Russia's implementation of the previously contracted supplies towards the EU. "We are ready to rearrange the system again at the moment Russia confirms the supply," the head of state stressed.

The President pointed out that the volume of 70 million cubic meters offered by Russia is insufficient to send the gas flow back again, and the system cannot function in a mixed mode either. "Ukraine is unable to service a partial pumping order, as the system should work in only one direction - from the west to the east, or from the east to the west," he noted.

Yushchenko indicated that Ukraine had drafted a technical agreement on terms for the transit of gas to Europe, and gave it over to Gazprom. He voiced hope that the Russian party would sign it soon.

In his turn, President Kaczynski called for Poland and Ukraine to clear up all circumstance over the information campaign around the supply of gas to Europe. "To make the truth public and all things clear," the Polish President underscored.

UKRINFORM