OREANDA-NEWS. February 22, 2008. Naftogaz of Ukraine will import natural gas directly in the first quarter of 2008, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said upon returning to Kyiv from Moscow, reported the Official website www.kmu.gov.ua.

"As regards the first quarter, we will settle the question in a week, and remove one of the mediators, UkrGaz-Energo," Tymoshenko says.

She emphasized that her Government would do the utmost for national joint stock company Naftogaz of Ukraine to receive gas for Ukraine "practically on its own", and sell it in home market.

"Then we will continue the negotiations in order to conclude long-term contracts for the purchase of Central Asian gas from Gazprom-Export, a 100-percent affiliate of Gazprom. We will be building relations so that contracts are concluded not every month, as was the case last year, but for longer periods of time starting on the first quarter of 2008, and thus guarantee stable gas supply without any mediation at a price set on the basis of the Central Asian gas cost," she emphasized.

Since 2007, Ukraine has been receiving Central Asian gas, mainly Turkmen, whose price in 2008 is USD 179.5 against USD 130 for 1,000 cubic meters in 2007.

Swiss company RosUkrEnergo AG has been the main provider of gas to Ukraine since April 2006, selling it to Ukrainian consumers via closed joint stock company UkrGaz-Energo.