Last chance for Moscow, Kiev to show they are serious: EU
2009-01-16

Nations Russia Algeria Ukraine City Moscow Category Regions Regions Europe Pacific Rim Africa Event 2008 Russia Gas Dispute Source (AFP)

BRUSSELS (AFP) - The European Commission warned on Friday that it would be forced to review relations with Russia and Ukraine if they did not renew the flow of gas to Europe over the weekend.

If there is no resolution then "as from next week we will have to look point by point at our relations with Ukraine and Russia, and assess in each case whether we can continue with business as usual," EU Commission spokesman Johannes Laitenberger told reporters in Brussels.

"The commission believes that the meetings in the coming days offer the last and best chance for Russia and Ukraine to demonstrate that they are serious about resolving this dispute," he warned.

"The gas must flow and we will regard this... as a test case for judging whether or not they are credible partners."

A payments row between Moscow and Kiev has led to Russian natural gas flows through Ukraine to Europe being halted for over a week.

With gas stocks running low in many European countries, there have been frantic diplomatic efforts to resolve the impasse and find alternatives such as imports from countries like Algeria and Norway.

Gas-fired central heating has been rationed or cut off for millions of people in central Europe and the Balkans and supplies slashed to industry in a crisis that has already cost EU states hundreds of millions of dollars (euros).

Russia cut off supplies to Ukraine's domestic market on New Year's Day in a payment and prices dispute and then halted deliveries to Europe via Ukraine on January 7, saying it was forced to do so because Kiev was stealing the gas.

Ukraine has denied the charge and accuses Russia of provoking the crisis.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday urged European leaders to attend a summit meeting in Moscow on Saturday dedicated to the gas crisis with Ukraine.

Demonstrating impatience with the lukewarm European response to the Russian plans, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said European Union states should "show their famous solidarity" and pressure Ukraine.

So far no major European country has said its top leadership will attend, with France notably saying that gas supplies should be restored before such a meeting can be contemplated.

Laitenberger saud all 27 EU nations had agreed instead to send Czech Industry Minister Martin Riman, whose country holds the EU presidency, and European Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs to the Moscow talks as long as Ukraine is represented, stressing there must be "meaningful discussions between Russia and Ukraine on the issue of transit (of gas) to Europe".

Slovak and Moldovan leaders were to hold talks Friday with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko on the spiralling energy crisis Friday, Kiev said.

To help restore the gas flow, Russia on Thursday proposed that European gas companies create a consortium to advance Kiev the money for the "technical gas" required by Ukraine to reestablish the pipeline transit route

The commission indicated it was open to the idea, while stressing that any solution must be acceptable to all partners.