Yuri Komarov, a Gazprom board of directors member, said at a press conference on the Monday before last that the re-export of Russian gas from Ukraine to Poland could reach 1.5 billion cubic meters this year, RIA Novosti reports. Mr. Komarov also noted Gazprom was incurring losses caused by the nonpayment by CIS countries for natural gas, although they receive it at more favorable prices than do consumers of Russian gas in the so- called far abroad.
Meanwhile, as early as June vice premiers of Russia and Ukraine are to negotiate the cooperation of the two countries in the field of gas for next year or even the medium term, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasianov said June 1 in Minsk after meeting new Ukrainian Prime Minister Anatoly Kinakh. He noted that the premiers had agreed to set up a joint financial group in the nearest future to settle the problems of Ukraine’s arrears for Russian gas. According to Mr. Kasianov, the Ukrainian premier confirmed in political terms Kyiv’s readiness to fulfill the agreements reached by the presidents of both countries last December (one of their main provisions is ban on the re-export of Russian gas to third countries — Author). Mr. Kasianov specifically pointed out that Ukraine fulfilled these agreements last winter, Interfax reports.
Then what about the statement of Mr. Komarov? A modest clerk at the semi-government gas monopoly taking responsibility to disavow his country’s prime minister? It was not so easy to answer this question, proceeding from the opinion of the Ukrainian side. The Day’s correspondent was sent from the reception room of Volodymyr Trykolich, deputy chairman of Naftohaz Ukrayiny, to that of Mykola Honcharuk, a department head at the same company. From there, he was kicked to Volodymyr Holovko, public relations department chief, who said he was unprepared to comment on these statements and advised contacting his subordinate Artur Hubar. The latter was out.
However, a source close to the Cabinet of Ministers told The Day’s correspondent (at that moment he was rereading a letter from now former Chairman of Gazprom Rem Viakhiriev, who refused to pay Ukraine for storing gas in underground storage tanks) that he did not deny the fact of Ukraine exporting the gas, thus confirming indirectly Moscow’s claims. He simultaneously characterized any accusations of re-export as patently absurd because today Ukraine does not buy Russian gas at all: it receives gas as barter (about 30 billion cubic meters a year) for the transit of Russian gas to Europe. The Day’s interviewee also asked a rhetorical question: can an enterprise, which furnished its worker with, say, tires as payment of wages, forbid him to sell them? He also expressed the opinion that the Russian side should carefully scrutinize the international documents dealing with the ban on re-export.
Yet, in all probability the question is not so much the Ukrainian illegal gas export as a warning shot on the eve of the negotiations, aimed at taking the vantage point while the parties are discussing their respective positions. As Mr. Kasianov announced, Russia is ready to take part in modernizing the gas mainlines already running across Ukraine’s territory. He said it is the question of joint investments in this field, as well as of “joint ownership of these gas pipelines.” To somewhat sugar this bitter pill for Ukraine (Ukrainian legislation in force prohibits privatization of main pipelines — Author), Mr. Kasianov tried to cushion the blow resulting from his recent trip to Warsaw. He emphasized that the gas pipeline from the Russian Federation to Europe, to be laid across the territories of Belarus and Poland, will not bypass or be to the detriment of Ukraine. “This is not an alternative. We are still guided by hitherto signed international agreements and plans approved,” the Russian cabinet chief said.
