Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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January 12, 2009

Russia to Resume European Gas Deliveries Tuesday
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=218491C:A6F02AD83191E16011A458840CA6A74BC030207A0BD70133&
 
Monday's signing should allow the resumption of gas supplies to much of
Europe, shut down because of a contractual dispute between Russia,
Ukraine 
Russia says it will resume pumping natural gas to Europe through Ukraine
Tuesday morning. Russia's state-run gas firm Gazprom made the
announcement Monday in Brussels, where European Union ministers held
energy crisis talks. The Czech Republic, which chairs the rotating EU
presidency, immediately issued a statement welcoming the development.
Russia shut off all gas flow through Ukraine last week, in an escalating
dispute with Kyiv over pricing and delinquent payments. The cut-off
forced numerous eastern European countries to endure sub-freezing
temperatures without adequate gas supplies. Experts say it will take up
to three days to resume full gas flow. Ahead of today's announcement,
Ukraine signed a new agreement with Russia and the EU allowing
independent monitors to track Russian gas shipments through Ukraine.
Russia demanded that European and Russian experts be allowed to monitor
gas flow through Ukrainian pipelines, to ensure that Kyiv is not
siphoning off gas meant for Western Europe. Ukraine's national energy
firm Naftohaz has strenuously denied taking any pipeline gas meant for
Europe. Gazprom supplies one-quarter of all natural gas consumed by EU
countries. Most of that gas is piped through Ukraine. The cut-off has
left numerous European countries to endure freezing temperatures without
adequate heat and led to renewed Western accusations that Russia has
become an unreliable energy supplier.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters. 

 


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