Moscow, Jan. 21 (Interfax) - Russia will be acting in a civilized way in negotiations with Ukraine on gas supply, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said.
"The Ukrainian side says it has levers that will help it carry out the contract terms and conditions. But a synonym of the word ‘lever’ in the Russian language is ‘stick’," Miller said.
"In this connection, I would like to note once again that Gazprom will act in a civilized way," Miller told journalists on Saturday in commenting on remarks by Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Yuriy Boiko.
Speaking in a TV talk show hosted by Yevhen Kyseliov on Friday night, Boiko said he was sure Ukraine and Russia would reach a compromise regarding the volume of gas Ukraine would buy in 2012.
"We have some disputes with our Russian partners from time to time, and we do not always reach a compromise, but we have significantly approached this now. We will be defending our interests in issues that are of fundamental importance to us, including as regards the volume of gas purchases," he said.
The Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Ministry placed an order for 2012 with Gazprom for 33 billion cubic meters of gas back in May 2011, including 27 billion cubic meters on the ‘take or pay’ basis, which enables Ukraine to declare now that it will buy only this amount of gas, Boiko said.
"We have levers that give us grounds to say confidently that our country will not face any consequences," Boiko said, asked whether Ukraine is afraid of possible sanctions on Russia’s part.
"Russia can do whatever it sees fit, but, considering preparatory work that we have done, we are sure that we are right," Boiko replied, asked whether he takes it into account that Russia could sue Ukraine.
Ukraine is willing to build any model of interaction with Russia in the gas field on a parity basis, and there is no question of Naftogaz Ukrainy’s sale or merger with a Russian company, Boiko said.
Ukraine will insist in the negotiations that the only solution to the gas dispute is the establishment of a tripartite consortium to manage the Ukrainian gas transportation system, he said.
