OREANDA-NEWS. January 17, 2009. Participants discussed various ways of resolving the gas crisis, how to ensure the immediate resumption of gas supplies, and measures to prevent similar problems in future.

Dmitry Medvedev said that specific suggestions were made by both Ukrainian and Russian parties during the discussion. According to the President, some of these proposals will form the basis of the final agreements.

Noting the lack of effectiveness of documents relating to the energy sector, including the Energy Charter, Dmitry Medvedev emphasised the need to create a new legal basis to oversee the process by which supplies reach consumers.

The head of state said that talks between Russia and Ukraine to resume deliveries of Russian gas to Europe will continue. They will be conducted by the countries' respective prime ministers, Vladimir Putin and Yulia Tymoshenko.

The conference was attended by President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister of Belarus Sergei Sidorsky, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Nikola Spiric, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Karim Masimov, Prime Minister of Moldova Zinaida Greceanii, Prime Minister of Serbia Mirko Cvetkovic, Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey Nazym Ekren, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic Martin Riman, Economy Minister of Slovakia Lubomir Jahnatek, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Minister Yuri Prodan, chairman of the company Naftogaz of Ukraine Oleg Dubina, Ukrainian Plenipotentiary Presidential Representative on International Issues of Energy Security Bogdan Sokolovsky, and the member of the European Commission responsible for energy issues Andris Piebalgs.