CIS free trade deal would let Ukraine confirm gas imports - Azarov
KYIV. April 23 (Interfax) - The agreement on a zone of free trade with other Commonwealth of Independent States countries opens the way to using member-countries' pipeline infrastructure to move oil and gas, and would give Ukraine greater confidence in supply, Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said.
"The most interesting aspect of this agreement is that it opens opportunity to use pipeline transport for transporting gas and oil," Azarov said. "This agreement provides an opportunity to pump Turkmen gas through Russian pipe to Ukraine," the prim minister said on the program Bolshaya Politka (Big Politics) on Inter TV.
Azarov said the agreement is going through internal state processes, and has been analyzed by the appropriate ministerial agencies, has several times been considered by the government, and has been submitted to the presidential administration, after which the document is to be delivered to parliament.
Azarov said the ratification process is lengthy and could take from two to three years. He expressed confidence that the Ukrainian parliament will ratify it.