The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 09-01-12

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From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Greek Ship-owner Abducted

News item: 17592

[02] Ukraine Signs Gas Monitoring Deal Anew

Kiev agreed late on Sunday to resign the gas monitoring agreement meant to guarantee resumption of Russian gas flows to Europe without any additions, that forced Moscow to block the deal, said the European Commission. Furthermore, the EU Energy Ministers are holding an unscheduled sitting in Brussels on Monday. Earlier, a spokesman for Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Puti had said that Czech Prime Minister and head of the rotating EU Presidency Mirek Topolanek had rest Moscow assured that Ukraine's additions to the protocol were "non-binding."

"Ukraine's declaration is not part of the protocol and only represents the opinion of the Ukrainian side," a spokesman quoted Topolanek as telling Putin during a telephone conversation. He said Putin had asked Topolanek to send Russia a protocol on monitors, meant to guarantee resumption of Russian gas flows to Europe, without any additions and declarations.

Ukraine, on the other hand, estimated it owed nothing to Gazprom any more and denied Russian allegations that it was siphoning off gas, read the additional declaration that Moscow questioned.

The above two matters are the key conflict points between Moscow and Ukraine, with regard to the natural gas Ukraine gets from Russia. The Russian energy giant is after two billion dollars from Ukraine's debt, with Ukraine's energy company Naftogaz having given back 1.5 billion dollars.

News item: 17586

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