Kyiv's accession to European Energy Community is a hurdle for Gazprom's involvement in gas transport consortium - ambassador
KYIV. Oct 29 (Interfax) - One of the hurdles for creating an international consortium for managing Ukraine's gas transport system with the involvement of Russia's Gazprom is Ukraine's accession to the European Energy Community, Russia's Ambassador to Ukraine, Mikhail Zurabov, told journalists in Kyiv.
"The idea has come about for possibly forming a gas consortium, which would involve either Russia-Ukraine or Russia-Ukraine and a European gas consumer, maybe a German company. The creation of such a consortium presumes that the settlement of the issue of restrictions, which are contained in the so-called Second and Third Energy Packages and do not give Gazprom the option of being a participant in a gas consortium without some type of internal restructuring, which is unacceptable for Russia," he said.
Zurabov added that it would be necessary to remove these barriers, which could interfere, if Ukraine wants to settle the issue of gas costs through the creation of a gas consortium.
"It is possible that another plan might be found, which, in relation to the gas price for Ukraine, might lead to a positive decision with the consideration of Ukrainian interests," he said when asked whether Russia insists that Ukraine leave the European Energy Community.
It was earlier reported that Gazprom expects Ukraine to provide an independent international assessment of its gas transport system. This estimate will serve as the basis for negotiations to form a consortium for the development of the Ukrainian gas transport system.
