Ukrainian-Russian gas agreement submitted to authorities
KYIV. Dec 12 (Interfax) - A draft of an intergovernmental Russian-Ukrainian gas agreement has, in conditions of absolute privacy and without first or last names, been submitted to the two countries' authorities for consideration and approval.
The publication Zerkalo Nedeli reported on Monday, December 5, that there had been a two-hour meeting between Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich and Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, after which Azarov returned to the cabinet of ministers alarmed and out of sorts, not wishing to assume responsibility for "giving away" Ukraine's gas-transport system.
At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, December 7, Azarov ordered the preparation of a "tough variant" of the state budget for 2012 with the price of imported gas at not less than $400 per thousand cubic meters and that the document be submitted to the Verkhovnaya Rada (parliament) for consideration.