January 24, 2006	Tuesday	Zilhaj 23, 1426

MOSCOW, Jan 23: Russia reopened its gas row with Ukraine on Monday as the Russian state monopoly Gazprom all but accused Kiev again of stealing gas and reducing onward supplies to Europe.

And another of Russia’s pro-Western neighbours, Georgia, smarted in anger after a weekend blast shut off Russian gas supplies and triggered an energy crisis in the country.

The twin developments threw a new spotlight on Russia’s role as the main energy supplier for the vast ex-Soviet region and Western Europe.

Some of Moscow’s neighbours say the Kremlin is using energy supply as a political weapon against former Soviet states like Georgia and Ukraine which have opted to shift towards the West and away from Moscow’s sphere of influence.

“We can call it gas shrinkage, offtake, legal or illegal, whatever,” Gazprom export chief Medvedev said in a sharp attack on Ukraine broadcast on Russian state television.

“But what is happening in reality is that gas is being held by Ukraine above agreed levels, which is not allowing us to fully meet our obligations with international buyers... We can’t work like that,” he said.

Ukraine, a key transit route for Russia’s huge supplies to Europe, said however that it was meeting its obligations.

But Prime Minister Yuri Yekhanurov acknowledged the country was burning more domestic gas because of the cold weather in which temperatures in Kiev alone slumped to minus 25 Celsius (minus 13 Fahrenheit) on Monday.

“We will do everything to cut our domestic consumption. Yesterday Ukraine consumed 407 million cubic meters of gas and our Russian partners are nervous because of it,” he told reporters.

Ukraine was using around 280 million cubic metres a day at the start of the year, when temperatures were much milder.

“I am grateful to Gazprom for their understanding of this situation caused by considerable drop in temperatures and that it allowed to increase daily consumption limits for Ukraine,” said Yekhanurov, striking a conciliatory tone.—Reuters