Russia, EU, Ukraine, Slovakia may hold gas talks on Apr 24 - Ukrainian energy minister
Russia, the European Union, Ukraine and Slovakia may hold quadripartite gas negotiations on Thursday, Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Prodan said. "There is a proposal of the Russian side and the European Commission to hold a quadripartite or tripartite meeting. A meeting between the European commissioner, the Slovak minister, the Russian [minister] and me in Bratislava is under consideration," Interfax reports.
The minister noted that the meeting might take place on Thursday but there had been no official confirmation of that. Prodan recalled that Ukraine had sent to Russia its proposals concerning the gas price Ukraine was prepared to pay but received no answer as of yet.
Kiev is not considering the creation of a gas transport consortium involving Russia to operate Ukrainian gas pipelines, the minister underscored.
"I am not sure we are prepared to discuss the issue with Russia. Besides, there are no proposals to this effect," he told reporters in Kiev on Wednesday. Prodan reminded reporters that Ukraine had proposed joint operation and modernization of gas pipelines to companies of the European Union and the United States.
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_04_23/Russia-EU-Ukraine-Slovakia-may-hold-gas-talks-on-Apr-24-Ukrainian-energy-minister-3776/