Medvedev, Yanukovich to discuss gas supplies to Ukraine Sat.

MOSCOW (Itar-Tass) - Gas supply from Russia to Ukraine
will be one of the main topics at the talks between the presidents of the
two countries, Dmitry Medvedev and Viktor Yanukovich, at the countryside
residence of the Russian leader Zavidovo, in the Tver region, on Saturday.
It is noteworthy that Medvedev and Yanukovich met there almost exactly a
year ago.
About the upcoming talks the Kremlin's press service said that "among
the priority issues there will be cooperation in the gas sphere."
"The Russian side proceeds from the inviolability of the existing
contracts in this field between the economic entities of Russia and
Ukraine, and it is ready to expand bilateral cooperation in the gas
industry and other spheres, including the development of joint mutually
beneficial investment projects," said the press service. "Moscow hopes for
the resolution of problems, encountered in the gas sphere with the
Ukrainian side, on a bilateral basis, in the interests of both countries
and to the benefit of Europe's energy security."
In recent weeks, the Ukrainian leadership openly talked about the
desire to renegotiate gas contracts with Moscow, saying that the price of
Russian gas was overstated. Kiev made it clear that this would be one of
the main objectives on the agenda of Yanukovich's visit. "At least, we
have this in mind, and this is the message our president is taking with
him to Moscow," Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov said.
In response, in Moscow said that it was ready to discuss "various
patterns of cooperation," but for the time being Ukraine in any case is
obliged to act within the framework of the 2009 long-term arrangements.
However, Russia did not make a secret of its interest in discussing its
possible participation "in the Ukrainian gas transportation system."
"If we manage to agree on these issues, we will probably be ready to
consider changes to the scheme of cooperation," said Medvedev.
In general, as the Kremlin's press service said, the forthcoming
meeting between the presidents of the two countries "stems from the need
to discuss at the highest level the current state of Russian-Ukrainian
relations and the most difficult issues of bilateral cooperation."
"In particular, the heads of state will assess interim results of the
policy that took shape in 2010 towards the establishment of real strategic
partnership, exchange views on new possible projects and agreements that
meet the interests of two states," the press-service said.