Gas Transportation System of Ukraine is more Profitable and Safe for Transportation of the Russian Gas to Europe, than a New Route via the Black Sea as stated in the South Stream Gas Pipeline Project
Volodymyr Lytvyn, Chairman of The
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine,
made this statement in his speech at the Interparliamentary Assembly of the
Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine,
Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania and Sejm and Senate of the Republic of Poland
held in Vilnius.
He stated that Ukraine has ‘convincing arguments´ on this issue for the European and Russian partners. V.Lytvyn also declared that Ukrainian Government and Parliament made progress in this aspect, which made the national energy market more attractive both for domestic and foreign companies and investors.
The Head of the Parliament admitted that Ukraine was interested in the modernization of its gas transportation system, and willing to invest into this project. "However, it is natural that we would like to the European Union to guarantee the purchase of certain amounts of gas in Russia to be transported via Ukraine, whereas Russia should guarantee to sell this gas. It is reasonable to invest into modernization of the gas transportation system, provided there are both seller and buyer," he stressed.
V.Lytvyn drew attention to ‘the perfect understanding with the EU on this account." He reminded that the recent negotiations between Mykola Azarov, Prime Minister of Ukraine, and Günter Ettinger, EU Commissioner for Energy, confirmed that "Brussels understood that the most profitable and reliable way of transportation of the Russian gas to Europe lay across Ukraine."
V.Lytvyn declared that Ukraine was engaged into the dialogue with the foreign partners, especially in the EU, regarding the most effective investments into the gas transportation system of Ukraine and respective infrastructure.
The Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine stated that Ukraine was one of the initiators of the development of a common European energy policy to meet the rights and interests of the countries-producers of energy resources, transit countries and consumer countries. "The rules should be unified and fair. Then, all the parties will consider them as acceptable and inviolable," he emphasized.
V.Lytvyn stated that openness and
transparency of the energy market, especially, of the price formation
mechanisms, are the fundamental principles for Ukraine. Transparent and mutually
beneficial relations between the partners in the energy sector lay the
foundation of the future global energy security system, as no country can
provide it independently. "The Energy Charter shared by Ukraine is a vital component of the
energy security," V.Lytvyn stated.
As to the Ukraine´s priorities in the strengthening of the energy security and diversification of the energy supply ways, V.Lytvyn named the arrangement of a single energy sources transit environment to unite the Baltic, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea regions. "It is this initiative that has been proclaimed by the Ukrainian Party at the Energy Summit in Krakow in May 2007. It corresponds to the goals and essence of the Energy Charter, and opens up new opportunities for its successful implementation and development," he added.
"In general, Ukraine adopts new standards in its energy policy, which presupposes greater reliability and introduction of new energy-saving technologies. I see a great potential for cooperation with our foreign partners. It is high time we focused international efforts on the creation of new energy-saving technologies to develop a new vision of environmental safety," the Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada summed up.