ID :
326009
Wed, 04/23/2014 - 16:45
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Ukraine, Russia, Slovakia, EU could hold gas talks in April - Ukrainian government

KIEV, April 23 (Itar-Tass) - Ukraine’s senior government official has said multilateral gas talks scheduled to be held in Bratislava on April 24 will not take place. Ukraine has been informed that “the European commissioner [for energy Gunther Oettinger] won’t arrive. Neither will the Russian minister”, the parliament-appointed Ukrainian Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Yuri Prodan said on Wednesday. “So, I see no reason to go there either,” he added. Earlier in the day, the European Commission denied multilateral gas talks might be held in Bratislava on April 24. European Commissioner for Energy Gunther Oettinger will have contacts with the Russian and Ukrainian partners soon for organising the first meeting, the European Commission says. A concrete date has not been specified yet, though, it says. In the meantime, Oettinger has reaffirmed the EC’s readiness to hold multilateral gas talks at the political level, a spokesperson for the European Commissioner told Itar-Tass. At present, the gas talks are expected to be held between different expert groups: between Slovak and Ukrainian gas operators and within the Slovakia-Ukraine-EU format, the spokesperson said. The European Commissioner has invited Russian Energy Minister Aleksander Novak and the parliament-appointed Ukrainian Minister of Energy and Coal Industry Yuri Prodan to tripartite consultations, the press service official said, adding that their date and place had not been specified yet. Prodan has said the gas talks within the Russia-Ukraine-Slovakia-EC format may be held in Bratislava on April 24. The initiative was put forth by Russia, he said. Learn more on itar-tass.com

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