By Vitaly KNIAZHANSKY, The Day
First Deputy Prime Minister Volodymyr Kuratchenko came back Wednesday night
from Moscow, where he negotiated payments for and supply to Ukraine of
natural gas in 1999, The Day was told by his press service.
This trip much resembled a fire fighting company, for Russia had cut
gas supplies to Ukraine by 37% - of course, for debts and as a kind of
punishment for pilferage of Russian gas being transported to Europe.
The delegation assesses as a great success the agreement reached with
Russia's Gazprom during the blitz visit. Firstly, the Ukrainian goods delivered
as payment of debts will be received at Russian market prices, not at the
prices of respective Russian producers which are substantially lower than
in Ukraine. Secondly, Naftohaz Ukrainy will only cover $410 million out
of $1.4-billion in Ukrainian gas debts. The rest is to be paid by mutual
settlements via such Gazprom-related structures as the Itera Corporation,
Rosgaztrans Ltd., and Gaztransit.
Meanwhile, Gazprom official spokesman Mr. Yezhov told the Oil Information
Agency March 3 that Ukraine's total debts (fines and penalties included)
reached $1.6 billion. In his words, Ukraine and Russia struck a deal late
last year that $500 million worth of goods and material resources plus
Gazprom-bound gas turbines would be supplied as repayment of the debts.
However, at the present stage Ukraine has only offered $300 million, including
the turbines. "The talks are going far from smoothly" and there is still
a long way to go, said the spokesman.
PS: Next in line is a fire fighting trip to Turkmenistan. According
to Valery Pustovoitenko, Ukraine already owes $49 million to that country
which has just resumed deliveries of natural gas.






