EU premiers plead for gas - Reuters

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

EU premiers plead for gas
Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:00am GMT

By Dmitry Zhdannikov and Ron Popeski

MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) - Russia and Ukraine faced
another day of sparring over gas supplies on Wednesday
and two European Union states, cut off for a freezing
week by the row, launched missions to plead for Russian
gas flow to be restored.

European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso called
the crisis "unacceptable and incredible" and warned
the EU executive would advise the bloc's firms to sue
Russian and Ukrainian energy companies unless gas
supplies were restored quickly.

Russia began pumping gas meant for Europe via Ukraine
on Tuesday, but the EU said little or no gas was flowing
yet to other countries downstream suffering urgent
energy shortages.

Russia accused Ukraine of deliberately cutting gas to
Europe, but Kiev said Russia had so far provided so
little gas there was not enough pressure in the
pipelines to pump it on.

-snip-

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/gc07/idUKTRE5062Q520090114

---

Source: BBC News

Page last updated at 10:13 GMT,
Wednesday, 14 January 2009

EU warns of legal action over gas

The European Commission has warned Russian and
Ukrainian gas companies of legal action over a dispute
which has left many Europeans without heat.

Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said he
would advise EU energy companies to sue unless
Gazprom and Naftogaz move fast to restore supplies.

Diplomatic pressure is growing, with the Bulgarian,
Slovakian and Moldovan PMs holding talks in Moscow
and Kiev.

Supplies remain cut off because of a payment row
between Russia and Ukraine.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7827829.stm