Bohuslav, July 19 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Kyiv is interested in Moscow's contribution to efforts aimed at modernizing the Ukrainian gas transportation system, Ukraine's Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said.
"Russia’s position will now start to change in light of our practical steps. At least we are counting on it," Azarov told journalists in the Bohuslav district of the Kyiv region, which hosted a ceremony on Tuesday that launched the modernization of the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod gas pipeline.
Ukraine has repeatedly asked Russia to take part in this process, but Kyiv itself refused to invest anything it in, the premier said.
Azarov said he hoped that Russia would change its position when it saw Ukraine’s work done together with European partners.
It was reported earlier that Ukraine had launched the first stage as part of an overhaul of the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod gas pipeline.
The modernization of the Ukrainian gas transport system is a chance for Ukraine as a transit country, Azarov has said.
"We have a unique gas pipeline system. The lion’s share of gas supplied from Russia to Europe still goes through our pipelines. But this system was built over 30 years ago. Therefore, we should modernize and reconstruct it as soon as possible, significantly reduce the price of gas pumping and offer our partners competitive advantages. Here we have our chance as a transit country," he said on Tuesday, while speaking at a ceremony to launch the implementation of a project on the modernization of the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod gas pipeline in Bohuslav district, Kyiv region.
Azarov said he was confident that this work must begin now, because alternative gas pipelines bypassing Ukraine were currently being built.
"We need to show our partners in Europe and Russia all of the competitive advantages of our gas transport system. This requires its large-scale reconstruction," he said.
Azarov also said that Ukraine was and would be a reliable gas transit country for Europe.
