No compromise on Russia cutoff
Güncelleme Tarihi:
AP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Aralık 25, 2008 00:00
MOSCOW - Russia and Ukraine have failed to reach agreement on a $2 billion debt for gas imports, a Russian official said yesterday as a New Year's deadline for a gas cutoff loomed.
Ukrainian officials arrived in Moscow for a fresh round of negotiations watched with particular concern by European nations because they rely on Russia for a quarter of their imported gas - and Ukraine is the chief transit country. Russia's state-controlled gas giant Gazprom has threatened to turn off the taps to the former Soviet state on Jan. 1 if the neighbor fails to pay off the entire debt.
Observers said that is a tough target: Ukraine, devastated by the financial crisis, is relying on a $16.4 billion emergency loan from the IMFto mitigate a meltdown. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said yesterday that the sides had agreed to postpone the debt repayment until early next year. But Gazprom spokesman denied that a deal had been reached.
Observers said that is a tough target: Ukraine, devastated by the financial crisis, is relying on a $16.4 billion emergency loan from the IMFto mitigate a meltdown. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said yesterday that the sides had agreed to postpone the debt repayment until early next year. But Gazprom spokesman denied that a deal had been reached.