14.10.02

IEA suggests that Ukraine invite European gas traders to gas transit consortium

The broad involvement of European gas traders in Ukraine's organization of a gas transit consortium could significantly strengthen the country's position in terms of increasing gas transit volumes.

Deputy Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) William Ramsey made this statement while meeting with Ukrainian Minister of Fuel and Energy Vitaly Haiduk in Kyiv, the Ministry's press service told Interfax on Thursday.

At the meeting, Haiduk said that Ukraine is prepared to invite all European gas companies concerned to discuss terms for membership of the consortium with each of them individually.

"But we can already safely say that Ukraine's right to own its gas transit system remains unchanged," the minister said.

He added that the signing of a Ukrainian-Russian framework agreement on the gas transit consortium in Chisinau on October 7 has made it possible to transfer the consortium's establishment from a political stage to a practical one.

The parties agreed that the legal registration of the future consortium on the Ukrainian territory would be a feasible step, the press service said. They also said that the signing and ratification of the International Energy Charter by Ukraine provides its signatories with extensive opportunities for transporting gas via that country.

Ramsey said that the purpose of his visit is to arrange a dialogue between Ukraine and the IEA, as all 26 member states of this organization are interested.

(Interfax-Ukraine)