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January 10, 2009

Russia, EU Sign Gas Monitoring Deal, Await Ukraine
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=217D920:A6F02AD83191E160C154A95D4806EA020531BB26A5003E7B&
 
Russia says deal is key to restoring stalled gas shipments to Europe 
Russian and EU officials have signed an agreement on the terms for
international monitors to verify Russian gas flowing through Ukraine.
Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (r) with Czech Prime Minister
Mirek Topolanek during their meeting in the Novo-Ogaryovo residence
outside Moscow, Russia, 10 Jan 2009Russia says the deal, signed Saturday
at Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's residence outside Moscow, is key to
restoring stalled gas shipments to Europe. Russia approved the
arrangement following talks between Mr. Putin and visiting Czech Prime
Minister Mirek Topolanek, whose country holds the rotating EU
presidency. Ukraine, which must sign the deal for it to go into effect,
has objected to the terms, saying they give Moscow too much control over
Ukrainian gas distribution systems. Ukraine says it will supply natural
gas to Bulgaria and Moldova from its own reserves to help two countries
that have been impacted by the crisis. Ukrainian leaders strongly denied
Russia's charges that Ukraine is "stealing" Russian gas. They said
Ukraine currently is ensuring Europe's gas from its own supplies. EU
authorities have warned that even after Moscow resumes gas shipments, it
will take at least three days before the deliveries reach all EU member
countries. Meanwhile, millions of Europeans are left shivering in some
of the coldest temperatures of the winter. Russia supplies one-quarter
of all gas consumed in EU countries. Russia cut off all gas supplies to
Ukraine on January 1 in a price dispute. Moscow stopped all shipments to
Europe through pipelines running across Ukraine Wednesday, accusing
Ukrainian authorities of stealing gas. Moscow wants Ukraine to pay the
full market price for gas without the discount Ukraine has enjoyed since
the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. But Ukraine says Russia wants double
what Ukraine is prepared to pay.


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