.Ukraine intensifies work on EU integration - Tigipko.

KIEV, April 21 (Itar-Tass) - Ukraine has intensified the work for
integration in the European Union, Vice Prime Minister Sergei Tigipko said
on the TV Channel 5 on Tuesday.
According to him, Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov will discuss
these issues soon in Brussels. "We believe that there is certain progress
in the European direction," Tigipko stressed.
He also said that Ukraine does not hold talks on the admission to the
Customs Union with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. "We don't prepare any
serious questions on this matter and don't discuss them," said the vice
prime minister.
According to the European Commission, the EU is seeking an
increasingly close relationship with Ukraine, going beyond mere bilateral
co-operation, to gradual economic integration and a deepening of political
co-operation.
Ukraine is a priority partner country within the European
Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The Partnership and Co-operation Agreement
(PCA) which entered into force in 1998 and provides a comprehensive and
ambitious framework for cooperation between the EU and Ukraine, in all key
areas of reform.
At the Paris Summit in September 2008 an agreement was reached to
start negotiations on an EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, which is to be
the successor agreement to the PCA. Several negotiating Rounds have since
been organised, alternately in Brussels and Kiev.
In November 2009, the Cooperation Council adopted the EU-Ukraine
Association Agenda. This Agenda replaces the former Action Plan, and will
prepare for and facilitate the entry into force of the new Agreement. For
2010, a list of priorities for action was jointly agreed by Ukraine and
the EU.
The Association Agreement will significantly deepen Ukraine's
political association and economic integration with the EU. As Ukraine
became a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in May 2008,
negotiations on the establishment of a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade
Area (DCFTA) could be launched, as an integral part of the Association
Agreement. Negotiations for this DCFTA will continue in 2010.
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.Optimal price of Russia gas for Ukraine - $230-240 -Tigipko.

KIEV, April 21 (Itar-Tass) - The optimal price of Russia's natural gas
for Ukraine will reach 230-240 US dollars per 1,000 cubic metres,
Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Sergei Tigipko believes.
"If we manage to agree with the RF on such a gas price it will be very
good," Tigipko said on Ukraine's TV Channel 5 on Tuesday.
"In this case it will be fair towards Ukraine - a major gas consumer
purchasing it in large volumes," the vice prime minister added. According
to him, at present Ukraine pays for Russian gas 304 US dollars per 1,000
cubic metres.
Tigipko did not rule out the possibility of Kiev's economic
compromises in negotiations with Russia that will help reduce the gas
price.
The vice prime minister also emphasised among Ukraine-Russia
cooperation spheres the nuclear power industry, aircraft and rocket
building.
"Everything can be considered, including humanitarian issues. If this
does not affect our independence we are ready to discuss," Tigipko added.
Russia may give a gas price discount to Ukraine in exchange for
participation in energy projects, RF Vice Prime Minister Igor Sechin said
earlier. "One of the issues that is discussed today is discounts," he
noted last week. According to Sechin, Ukraine "offers a swap" and this can
be discussed. "We have many interests, including in the energy sector,"
Sechin said, adding that Russia could consider participating in
"hydropower generation and atomic industry in Ukraine." "We also have
strategic interests," he stated. According to Sechin, the talks with
Ukraine "are in progress and we are drafting appropriate decisions."
The Ukrainian delegation led by Energy Minister Yuri Boiko, which
visited Moscow last week, came to the Russian capital against on April 20.
Sechin said the draft resolution on discounts for the natural gas
supplied to Ukraine was being studied in the Russian government. "I think
the government resolution will soon assume its final form, we will take
into account the opinion of the Ukrainian side and submit it to the
chairman of the government," he said.
Naftogaz Ukrainy believes that the price of the gas, delivered by
Gazprom, exceeds by far the price of alternative types of fuel, if
evaluated in terms of the price of one calorie. Ukraine suggests the
including in the contract of the item, which would make it possible to
receive from Gazprom a written agreement on the proposal of Naftogaz about
the changing of the contracted annual amount of gas deliveries.
The Ukrainian government wishes to persuade Russia to sign a
supplement to the contract dated January 19, 2009, in which Gazprom would
provide guarantees of the gas transit to be no smaller than 110 billion
cubic metres a year. The present contract does not provide for fines, if
contract commitments for the gas transit are not fulfilled, which violates
the principle of parity of the obligations of contracting parties.
Ukraine plans to import in 2010 36.5 billion cubic metres of gas from
Russia.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov said earlier he hoped to
conclude the talks on reconsideration of the Russian gas export price
within seven days.
"I am confident that within the upcoming week we will agree with the
Russian side and include the price into the budget that will allow to
restore productive competitiveness," he noted.
Vice Premier Sergei Tigipko added that a draft budget for 2010
includes the previous gas price of 334 US dollars per 1,000 cubic meters.
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