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New Dispute Stalls Gas, Chills Europe

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 12, 2009

SUDZHA GAS METERING STATION - Teams of EU monitors arrived Sunday at natural gas transit sites along Ukraine's vast pipeline network, but still no gas flowed to a freezing Europe.

Russia refused to restart gas supplies that have been stalled since Wednesday, saying the deal for the monitors was made void by Ukraine, which signed the document then issued what it called a "declaration" of its position to accompany it.

The European Commission insisted the declaration could not change the agreement, but Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the document is void unless Ukraine withdraws the declaration.

He called the Ukrainian move a "mockery of a common sense and a violation of previously reached agreements."

Russia has demanded monitors track the movement of gas across Ukraine before it restarts supplies to other countries.

Russia supplies about one-quarter of the EU's natural gas, 80 percent of it shipped through Ukraine, and the disruption has come as the continent is gripped by subfreezing temperatures in which at least 11 people have frozen to death.
Ukrainian officials said it would take three days for gas to reach Europe if Russia decides to resume supplies.

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