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EU monitors deploy to end Russian gas deadlock
2009-01-11
KIEV, Ukraine - Teams of EU monitors traveled to gas pumping stations along Ukraine's extensive pipeline network Sunday, as Russia prepared to resume natural gas shipments through Ukraine to Europe. Ukraine signed a deal early Sunday to allow European, Russian and its own experts to track the flow of Russian gas through Ukraine pipelines. The Kremlin insisted on a written agreement on the multinational monitoring mission before it would restart gas flows. Russia's state gas giant Gazprom cut off all supplies to Europe on Wednesday amid an acrimonious dispute over prices, deliveries and debts with Ukraine. The cutoff came at a time of diplomatic tensions between the two countries, following Ukraine's efforts to join NATO and its support for the former Soviet republic of Georgia in its war with Russia in August. Both moves have brought bitter criticism of Kiev from Moscow. Ukrainian officials say it may take up to three days for gas to reach European countries. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin promised that Moscow will resume gas shipments through Ukraine once the deal is signed and monitors are in place. Those monitors were to arrive at gas shipment control centers on Ukraine's border with Russia and with European countries Sunday, officials with Ukraine's state gas company Naftogaz said. Russia demanded the monitors, saying it was the only way to prevent Ukraine from stealing Russian gas intended for Europe. Ukraine hotly denied the accusation, saying Russia was not providing enough gas to pump the rest of the gas west to Europe. Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, shuttled between Moscow and Kiev on Saturday to mediate the deal. He finally persuaded Ukraine to accept the monitoring pact during marathon talks which dragged into early Sunday. "Nothing prevents Russia now from resuming gas supplies," Topolanek said. "We once again have shown our goodwill," Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said, adding that the mission will show Ukraine to be an "honest transit country." Bohdan Sokolovsky, an energy adviser to the Ukrainian president, told The Associated Press it would take Russia about 30 hours to start the flow of gas, and then it would take an additional 36 hours for Ukraine to pump the gas to its western borders. Russia supplies about one-quarter of the EU's natural gas, 80 percent of it shipped through Ukraine, and the disruption has come as the continent was gripped by subfreezing temperatures. At least 11 people have frozen to death this week in Europe, including 10 in Poland, where temperatures have sunk to minus 13 F (minus 25 C). EU governments have criticized both Russia and Ukraine for the energy crisis. U.S. National Security adviser Stephen Hadley warned Russia that using its energy exports to threaten its neighbors will undermine its international standing. The Russian state natural gas giant Gazprom halted the shipment of the gas it supplies to Ukraine on Jan. 1 after negotiations broke down over a 2009 contracts. But Gazprom kept pumping gas to central and western Europe through Ukraine. Ukraine's 37,800 kilometers of pipeline -- one of the largest gas pipeline systems in the world -- handles both Ukraine's domestic gas and gas for export. Both Russia and Ukraine have been hard hit by the global economic slowdown. Energy is the driving force behind Russia's economy, and the fall in oil prices in recent months has hit Moscow hard. Ukraine, meanwhile, faces economic collapse and is desperate to avoid higher gas prices. A 2007 report by the Oxford Institute of Energy Studies called Ukraine "the most energy-intensive economy in the world," consuming about 73 billion cubic meters of gas in 2005, roughly that used by all of Africa. Last year, Russia charged Ukraine $179.50 per 1,000 cubic meters, about half what it charged its European customers. Ukraine's Naftogaz company chief Oleh Dubyna said the latest round of talks on the 2009 gas contract ended Saturday without result, with Gazprom demanding a price of $450. ___ AP reporter Yuras Karmanau contributed to this story.
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 Russia, Ukraine to sign gas deal, end standoff (2009-01-19) | | New Russia, Ukraine gas accord leaves Europe dubious (2009-01-18) | | Russia, Ukraine clinch deal to resume Europe gas supplies (2009-01-17) | | Russia, EU, Ukraine set for gas talks (2009-01-16) | | Russian gas cutoff energizes nuclear comeback (2009-01-16) | | Last chance for Moscow, Kiev to show they are serious: EU (2009-01-16) | | Russia-Ukraine gas war deadlock (2009-01-15) | | Crisis deepens as Russia-Ukraine gas deal unravels (2009-01-14) | | Russia and Ukraine may meet over gas dispute (2009-01-14) | | Ukraine leader accuses Russia of 'blackmail' over crisis (2009-01-13) | | Russia, Ukraine trade blame as Europe sees no gas (2009-01-13) | | Russia to restart gas pumps to Europe on Tuesday (2009-01-12) | | Russia set to resume European gas supplies after deal (2009-01-11) |  EU monitors deploy to end Russian gas deadlock (2009-01-11) | | Russia and EU sign deal on gas transit via Ukraine (2009-01-10) | | Putin warns Europe gas crisis "worsening" (2009-01-10) | | Gazprom may resume gas shipments to Europe today (2009-01-09) | | EU leader to meet Putin amid efforts to resolve gas dispute (2009-01-09) | | Russia to pump gas to Europe if monitors are there (2009-01-08) | | Russia, Ukraine in EU talks as gas crisis engulfs Europe (2009-01-08) | | Thaw in the air as Russia-Ukraine gas crisis talks begin in Brussels (2009-01-08) | | Halt in Russian gas supplies to Europe deepens crisis (2009-01-07) | | EU: Russia, Ukraine accept monitors in gas dispute (2009-01-07) | | Gas shortages spread as Russian-Ukraine row flares (2009-01-06) | | Natural gas shortages slam many European nations (2009-01-06) |
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