Ukraine, Turkmenistan Reportedly Reach Gas Deal
February 24, 2006
A gas worker in Ukraine checks equipment (epa)
Turkmenistan had accused Ukraine of owing it $160 million for gas supplies. Oleksiy Ivchenko, the head of Ukraine's state Naftohaz oil and gas company, said earlier this week that Kyiv had no gas debts with Turkmenistan.
ITAR-TASS quoted Ukraine's ambassador to Turkmenistan, Viktor Mayko, as saying Ukraine has agreed to a retroactive five-year plan to buy Turkmen gas. The agreement covers 2002 to 2006.
Mayko says Ukraine will purchase some 40 billion cubic meters of Turkmen gas in 2006 for up to $60 per 1,000 cubic meters.
Gas from Turkmenistan is part of a deal reached between Russia and Ukraine after Russia suspended gas supplies to Ukraine on 1 January.
(ITAR-TASS)