Wed, January 14, 2009
BRUSSELS, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- European Union officials complained on Tuesday about the lack of gas flow from Russia through Ukraine to Europe after Russia resumed early gas supplies under a three-way deal signed on the previous day.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso spoke by phone to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, expressing disappointment over the lack of natural gas flowing to Europe.
EU monitors on the ground reported that only very little gas is flowing through the pipelines.
Barroso voiced his "disappointment with both the level of gas flowing to Europe" and the lack of access "of our monitors to dispatch centers," according to his aide.
Putin promised him to take a look into what he complained.
On the same day, Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek spoke on the phone to his Ukrainian counterpart Yulia Tymoshenko about the matter, said a press release from the Czech EU presidency.
Tymoshenko informed Topolanek, who asked about the causes and circumstances of the delay in supplies, of some technical difficulties, saying that more specifically the pressure of gas arriving from the Russia is too low.
The Czech Prime Minister recommended her to immediately contact the Eurogaz experts who are ready to assist Ukraine with technical problems.
Tymoshenko promised to act on this offer.
Russia reopened taps Tuesday morning to let gas flow to Europe via Ukraine after cutting off gas supplies to Europe on Wednesday amid a pricing dispute with Ukraine.
The cutoff left a number of European countries in lack of heating gas amid freezing weather.
