Gas contracts with Ukraine will not be changed - Gazprom CEO

([FINANCIAL], UKRAINE, RUSSIAN, SUPPLIES, RUSSIA, GAZPROM, UKRAINIAN)

A map of Russian gas suppliers to Europe via Ukraine
MOSCOW, June 26 (RIA Novosti) - Gas contracts with Ukraine will not be revised, despite the Ukrainian president`s demands, the head of Russian energy giant Gazprom said at an annual meeting of shareholders on Friday.
Ukraine`s Viktor Yushchenko has called for a review of 10-year gas supply and transit contracts signed with Russia at the turn of 2009.
"The contracts should be implemented and are not subject to change," Miller said, adding that he "understood" the problems facing his Ukrainian partners.
Russian authorities have repeatedly voiced concerns that Ukraine will not have enough money to pay for gas supplies, which would cause difficulties for Russia and European gas consumers. The next payment is due on July 7.
Yushchenko said last Friday that Naftogaz was $2 billion short of being able to pump natural gas into its underground storage systems to prepare for winter. The ex-Soviet state is seeking a syndicated loan of over $4 billion from European banks to pay it debts to Gazprom until November 2009.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said on Thursday Ukraine had pumped 1.1 billion cubic meters in June and pledged to pay $250 million for gas supplies in June on time.
Kiev paid some $500 million for 2.38 bcm of Russian natural gas in May, according to Naftogaz.
The Gazprom CEO urged Ukraine to come up with a comprehensive solution to the payments issue.
"The Naftogaz [financial] situation is considered serious. We hope international financial organizations will make the correct decision and that together with Russia they will be able to arrange Russian gas purchases for Ukraine," Miller said.
He also expressed hope that there would not be another gas crisis with Ukraine and pledged Gazprom would do "everything possible" to prevent it.
Russia, which supplies around one fifth of Europe`s gas, briefly shut down supplies via Ukraine`s pipeline system at the start of the year over Kiev`s unpaid debt.
The conflict was resolved in January, when the Russian and Ukrainian premiers agreed on $1.7 as a fee for transiting 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas per 100 km for 2009.
 
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