VILNIUS - The Lithuanian foreign minister has begun mediation between the Ukraine and Russia to restore supply to the European Union (EU) and Ukraine in an effort to solve the current gas supply dilemma.
Gas supplies from Russia traveling via a Ukrainian pipeline have been cut off, leaving several European countries without a constant supply of gas. Russia has also accused Ukraine of stealing gas which has yet to be accounted for.
Foreign Minister Vygaudas Usackas, the Ukrainian and Czech foreign ministers, Volodymyr Ogryzka and Karel Schwarzenberg, and European Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, discussed the gas supply situation to Ukraine the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said.
Ogryzka asked Lithuania to mediate to guarantee the EU's involvement in the Ukrainian talks with the Russian gas giant Gazprom on gas supplies.
Schwarzenberg pledged to assist Ukraine if its conduct is transparent and it provides the EU with all gas supply contracts signed with Russia.
Piebalgs said the European Commission was willing to take part in the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia with EU approval.
EU energy security and gas supply was among the key issues discussed with Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko, Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ogryzka and First Deputy Prime Minister Grigory Nemyria.
Since the cut off on January 1, several countries have reported supply problems. Turkey said all its gas supplies via Ukraine had been cut, Romania reported a 75 percent reduction and Bulgaria, Greece and Macedonia are also noticing shortages.
The Russian energy giant Gazprom says Ukraine has shut down three of the four pipelines for EU-bound Russian gas.
The European Commission has condemned the supply cut as "completely unacceptable."
The EU depends on Russia for about a quarter of its total gas supply, some 80 percent of which is pumped through Ukraine.
Russia stopped supplying gas to Ukraine on New Year's Day in a row about unpaid bills. The row comes amid a cold snap across Europe likely to push up demand for gas.
PRAGUE MEETING
As TBT went to press, Usackas was scheduled to travel to Prague to address energy security, trans-Atlantic cooperation and other matters with EU colleagues.
The informal meeting of the EU's General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) consisting of EU foreign ministers was scheduled for Jan. 7 and 8, the Foreign Ministry said.
Usackas said the priorities of the EU's current presiding country, the Czech Republic, are to enhance Europe's competitive abilities and ensure energy security, which are relevant for Lithuania.
At the Prague meeting, Usackas was to seek support of EU countries and institutions to energy projects of importance to Lithuania.
The meeting should also facilitate exchange of opinions on EU institutional matters, discussion of the Lisbon Treaty ratification process and preparations for the European Parliament election scheduled for this summer.
