[Cid_Yama]

<b>The Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Ministry filed a suit in the Kiev Economic Court to recognize invalid the agreements on Russia’s gas transit supplies via Ukraine</b> that were concluded for a period until the end of 2010, the Ukrainian ministry’s press service told Itar-Tass on Monday.

The court recognized the agreements invalid, because the former deputy chairman of the Naftogaz Ukrainy board, Igor Voronin, concluded them. The Ukrainian government did not empower the foresaid official to sign these agreements.

<b>The Kiev Economic Court has already ruled to ban Naftogaz Ukrainy to transit the Russian gas via Ukraine</b> at the price of 1.6 dollars for 1,000 cubic meters per every 100 kilometers in 2009. The court ruling supported the suit. The hearings of the case on the merits are scheduled for January 9, 2009.
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<b>Ukraine has halted the Gas supply of the Balkan region</b>

The Ukrainian side overnight, without notification, stopped the work of the compressor stations working in the direction of the Balkans. The transit gas supply through Ukraine to the region is completely halted.

The Ukrainian side stopped the work of the compressor stations at 04:30 Moscow time, the Bulgarian Economy and Energy Ministry’s press centre said.

Aside from Bulgaria, the gas transit across Ukraine is stopped to Greece, Turkey and Macedonia.
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[Ainan]

How interesting, so many people said Ukraine would cut off gas to the end of the supply line, e.g. the UK. What a silly thing to say, as if Ukraine would dare do so, cutting off the rich and powerful western nations instead of the poor and weak eastern ones.

[Pretorian]

How interesting, so many people said Ukraine would cut off gas to the end of the supply line, e.g. the UK. What a silly thing to say, as if Ukraine would dare do so, cutting off the rich and powerful western nations instead of the poor and weak eastern ones.

UK doesn't get NG from Siberia. France does, and at some point it lost as much as 70% of the flow.

Overall, as I said previously numerous times, without Ukraine nobody will have any gas-- not even Russians.

Ukrainian Pipe is not there to lose money-- I hope Moscow will get it before Gazprom will go bankrupt with all its debts and ruined relationships.

PS Last thing I heard is that Serbia and Bosnia had enough NG to last a few hours and is completely cut off.

[dissident]

Yushenko's shenanigans are, in the rabid russophobe eyes of pretorian, Russia's fault. Ukraine is obligated by its commitments to resolve trade disputes at Stokholm and not domestic courts. Ukraine does not merit special treatment because it got the Soviet infrastructure windfall of having the gas pipes on its territory. It's current behaviour of shutting down those pipelines based on the illegal ruling of some domestic court is pure blackmail.

[Pretorian]

Moi? Un rossophobe? No. In fact, I collect various Russian antiques, love blini with Russian caviar and am a big fan of a traditional Russian bear dance accompanied by the sounds of charming balalaika.

[Tanada]

Yushenko's shenanigans are, in the rabid russophobe eyes of pretorian, Russia's fault. Ukraine is obligated by its commitments to resolve trade disputes at Stokholm and not domestic courts. Ukraine does not merit special treatment because it got the Soviet infrastructure windfall of having the gas pipes on its territory. It's current behaviour of shutting down those pipelines based on the illegal ruling of some domestic court is pure blackmail.

As I pointed out in another thread Ukrain is playing a very dangerous game. In the past they have had the support of western Europe and southern Europe because they have played the 'poor picked on Ukrainine' card whenever they have a dispute with Russia.

They were careful to cut off supplies from countries where people will not freeze to death with a shortfall, but they still cut off supplies themselves. There is no way they can twist this around into being Russia's fault. Even with the help of the sycophantic media that always tends to blame Russia the average person in the countries without gas are able to see that Ukraine is the one breaking the contracts.

I'm not a nation state, but if I were Russia the Ukraine would get paid the going rate for transit of gas and would also pay the going rate for natural gas imports. No more sweetheart deals, everything the same as what Poland pays.

As I understand it the Russians have upped the presure as much as possible in the lines which go around the Ukraine, both through Beylorus and through the Black Sea. That is a show of good faith to their trading partners west of Ukraine in and of itself.

[Nickel]

Ukrainian Pipe is not there to lose money-- I hope Moscow will get it...

If they don't watch it, Ukraine is gonna "get it", I think. And in ways they won't like. We're not talking about jamming TV signals here. We're talking about people going broke trying not to freeze to death.

[Pretorian]

Again this beaver trying to shovel his filthy nickels into everyone's plate.. Your Ignorance, Ukraine has enough of its own NG to heat populace and infrastructure... Ukraine was buying extra NG to fuel metallurgical and chemical industry which is in ruin RIGHT NOW, ALREADY, so they don't need much of anything now.

[Cid_Yama]

<b>Yushchenko Seeks to Use Gas War to Push Ukraine Closer to West</b>

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko may be calculating that his “No” to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in their dispute over natural gas will make the West more likely to say “Yes” to him.

Yushchenko’s rejection of Russia’s demand that his country pay more for Russian gas reinforces his message that Ukraine’s future lies in closer ties with the European Union, which meets today to look for ways to resolve the dispute, rather than with Russia, its neighbor and fellow former Soviet republic.

The dispute comes as Ukraine is torn by infighting between top politicians, a sharp decline in Yushchenko’s popularity and a global financial crisis that prompted a bailout by the International Monetary Fund. The risk is that his tactics may backfire, weakening the country’s bid to join the EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

“When people in Europe look at Ukraine, all they see is squabbling, self-serving politicians, and they don’t have much sympathy in the West any more,” said Katinka Barysch, deputy director of the London-based Centre for European Reform.
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[Cid_Yama]

<b>European Union brokers deal to get gas flowing</b>

The European Union stepped into a dispute between Russia and Ukraine that has drastically reduced energy supplies to the continent, saying Wednesday that it had won agreement from Russia and Ukraine for independent monitoring of natural-gas flows through Ukraine.

The pledge, European officials said, should help restore gas supplies to the West, which were entirely halted earlier in the day.

After phone conversations with Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and his Ukrainian counterpart, Yulia V. Tymoshenko, on Wednesday, the European Commission president, Jose Manuel Barroso, said both leaders had agreed in principle to allow monitors to verify gas movements. But he also warned both countries — and particularly Ukraine — that failure to help restore supplies could have consequences for their relationships with the European Union.

"We have received assurances both from Prime Minister Putin and Prime Minister Tymoshenko that they both accept international monitors," Barroso said.
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<i>Yes, but it is Yushchenko that is blocking the gas, and he and Tymoshenko are opponents in a split government. Yushchenko wants this as justification for a war, total suspension of the Ukrainian Parliment and martial law in Ukraine with US backing.</i>

[Nickel]

Again this beaver trying to shovel his filthy nickels into everyone's plate.. Your Ignorance, Ukraine has enough of its own NG to heat populace and infrastructure... Ukraine was buying extra NG to fuel metallurgical and chemical industry which is in ruin RIGHT NOW, ALREADY, so they don't need much of anything now.

I couldn't care less what Ukraine needs or doesn't need. It's what it's denying the EU. There are a lot of people in NATO in the EU. They're not really likely to just sit around and watch their kids freeze to death just so Ukraine can get richer. Ukraine's biggest asset of all right now is the goodwill of Western Europe. If they piss that away, and make the Russians look like the good guys, the whole thing could turn around on them.

[Pretorian]

Again this beaver trying to shovel his filthy nickels into everyone's plate.. Your Ignorance, Ukraine has enough of its own NG to heat populace and infrastructure... Ukraine was buying extra NG to fuel metallurgical and chemical industry which is in ruin RIGHT NOW, ALREADY, so they don't need much of anything now.

I couldn't care less what Ukraine needs or doesn't need. It's what it's denying the EU. There are a lot of people in NATO in the EU.

Oh! So beaver has some kinship with NATO members in EU? I'm sorry. I thought you were just blabbing away your ignorance without a purpose.

[Cid_Yama]

<b>Ukrainian power struggle continues over European gas</b>

European Union experts will arrive in Ukraine Friday to monitor Russian gas transit to Europe, the Ukrainian government said Thursday.

"Today the European Union adopted Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko's proposal to send to Ukraine experts who will study the reasons for disruption of Russian natural gas supplies to the EU and will establish who is responsible for that. Technical experts will arrive in Ukraine on Friday," the government press service said.
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But Yushchenko is throwing roadblocks before the plan in an attempt to prevent a resolution as part of a power struggle between the President's minority power bloc and PM Yulia Tymoshenko's parlimentary coalition. It was Yushchenko's government that initially banned the transit of Russian gas across Ukraine.

[The Yushchenko government] has refused to sign a protocol on setting up an international system of monitoring over the transits of Russian gas via its territory, Gazprom's Deputy CEO Alexander Medvedev told reporters here Thursday.
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The root of the problem is a power struggle between Yushchenko's US backed minority Government and Tymoshenko's Parlimentary Coalition which is against joining NATO and is supported by the majority of the population which is primarily pro-Russian.

The Bush Administration is set to sign a strategic partnership with Georgia tomorrow which is focused on restoring Georgia's territorial integrity. A strategic partnership was signed between the Bush administration and Yushchenko's government previously.

Saakashvilli has already made threatening statements regarding this agreement towards Abkhazia and South Ossetia and has mobilized Georgian military forces, moving them to the borders. Yushchenko has also mobilized Ukrainian forces to the Russian border near South Ossetia.

It appears that Yushchenko had intended to incite European anger against Russia, but has bungled it, instead bringing focus upon himself. Tymoshenko has been an active participant in attempting to resolve the crisis.

[Cid_Yama]

<b>Hopes for quick resumption of Russian gas shipments to Europe dashed by Yushchenko</b>

European Union representatives started work in Ukraine's capital, Kiev, to monitor the flow of gas, offering an independent assessment that was critical to sealing a bargain.

Russia wants monitors in place to prevent what it described as Ukraine's theft of supplies meant for Europe — a charge Kiev hotly denies.

"Our goal is to show who is to blame for stealing gas," Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said. "Such thievery can't be left unaccountable."

Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko rejected the notion.
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<i>Yushchenko is now backed into a corner. Russia, and even the Ukrainian opposition coalition, is doing all in it's power to get gas transited to Europe.

All that stands in the way is Yushchenko preventing EU monitors from ensuring the gas is not siphoned off, and prove who is responsible for Europe's shortfalls in delivery.

But, since it has been, and they are trying to provoke a crisis, Yushchenko is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Yushchenko's political future is at stake, as well as the Bush Administration's attempt to bring Ukraine into NATO against the will of the Ukrainian population.</i>

[Cid_Yama]

<b>Yushchenko continues to drag feet</b>

Ukraine has so far not signed a protocol on the creation of a gas transit monitoring commission, Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said on Friday.

“Judging from the latest reports, the Ukrainian government is ready to sign the protocol. Apparently, it is up to the president to Ukraine to make the decision,” he said.

Ukraine said at first it would support the list of observers suggested by the European Commission. Several hours later, Miller said, “Ukraine, I think under pressure from the European Union, accepted the proposal on the creation of an international multilateral monitoring commission consisting of representatives of Gazprom, Naftogaz Ukrainy, the Russian and Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Ministries, as well as companies that receive Russian gas in Europe, and an independent monitoring organisation.”

However after that an official in the Russian government said, “the Ukrainian delegation to the talks with Gazprom has once again expressed doubts about the composition of the international multilateral commission.”

“This means that Naftogaz Ukrainy continues to play for time and shows no interest in a speedy resolution of the crisis,” the official said.

“The impression is that the Ukrainian side is afraid that such mechanism will be created because we know all too well that the theft of Russian gas did not begin yesterday. It has been going on for many years,” Miller said.

In his opinion, if such mechanism is created, Ukrainian colleagues will have to work honestly and transparently, “and it seems this is something they don’t really want”.
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[dissident]

Indeed, why would the crooks in the Ukrainian regime of Yushenko want any independent monitoring of gas transit. Last year they were charging Ukrainian customers $320 per tcm of gas when they were getting it for $155 per tcm (average price: $130 in the first six months and $180 in the last six months). Ukraine has not even paid Russia the price increase for the second half of 2008. So somebody has pocketed $190 per tcm, which translates into about $10.5 BILLION US.

[dissident]

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"MOSCOW, January 11 (RIA Novosti) - Gazprom said on Sunday it had not yet received even a copy of the document signed by Ukraine on an international gas transit monitoring commission, a key condition for resuming Russian gas supplies to Europe.

Russia and the European Union signed the document on January 10. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said after talks with Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek early on Sunday that the Ukrainian side had also signed it.

"Gazprom has not received even a fax copy of the document signed during the night in Kiev. We proceed from the fact that the document must be signed precisely in the form it was signed by the Russian side and initialed by the Czech Republic," the energy giant said in a statement. "

[dissident]

January 11, 2009, 22:03

Gas treaty signed by Kiev contains a lie - Lavrov
Russia has finally received the originals of a treaty signed by Kiev that will govern the transit of Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says the signed text contains falsehoods, including a clause saying Ukraine did not steal gas earmarked for Europe.

At a meeting with Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev, Lavrov confirmed that the document signed by Ukraine had been received, but said there was also a note that some kind of declaration should be attached to it. He added that Russia had not been supplied with that declaration yet.

"In fact, we are very surprised with the text made partially of false claims that Ukraine had allegedly delivered all transit gas to Europe without taking any," Lavrov said.

The Russian President has announced that those in Ukraine who added amendments should realise that this invalidates the document. Dmitry Medvedev has told the government not to fulfil the agreement with the EU signed on Saturday because of the additions.

“We ask our European colleagues to convince Ukrainian authorities to drop the amendments which contradict the original text of the agreement,” Medvedev said.

“As soon as it is done, Russia will have no objections to the deal,” he added."

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[Cid_Yama]

<b>Yushchenko modifies document - thwarts agreement</b>

The Ukrainian authorities are attempting to evade the international control over Russia’s gas transit supplies via the country and to legalize the stealing of gas, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller told reporters on Sunday.

“Ukraine’s intention to burden with, unacceptable for Russia, uncoordinated and additional conditions the protocol on international control over Russian gas transit supplies via Ukraine to European consumers is an attempt of the Ukrainian authorities to evade this international control,” Miller believes.

“Ukraine’s unilateral declaration, which specifies an alleged need for quite bigger gas supplies to provide for the necessary gas transit supplies, is an attempt of the Ukrainian authorities to legalize the stealing of gas,” he added.
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[eastbay]

I bet Leon Trotsky could have fixed this little problem in a few days. Where are real leaders when you really need them anyhow??