EU replies to Putin's letter on natural gas

President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso wrote a letter on Thursday to Russian President Vladimir Putin in which he offered to discuss the security of natural gas supplies.

"The European Union agrees with your proposal for consultations with the Russian Federation and Ukraine with regard to the security of gas supply and transit," said the letter, which was published on the European Commission’s website.

Emphasizing that the European Union and the Russian Federation are Ukraine's main trading partners, Barroso's letter stated that it is in the mutual interest of all parties concerned, including Ukraine, to immediately engage in talks.

Stating that energy relations must be based on reciprocity, transparency, fairness, non-discrimination, openness to competition and continued cooperation, the letter added that a structured and comprehensive dialogue on natural gas supply and transit is particularly urgent.

In a letter last week to 18 EU nations that import Russian gas, Putin threatened to cut off gas supplies to Ukraine over the country's unpaid bills, expressing concerns over Ukraine’s increasing debt to Russia.
[aa.com.tr]
17/4/14
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Related:

• Putin Says Further Violations by Ukraine Will Compel Russia to Cut Off Gas. -Russia cannot and should not unilaterally bear the burden of supporting Ukraine’s economy