OREANDA-NEWS. July 26, 2010. "The world practice knows examples when such negotiations are held for years, and then results are achieved during one day. We still measure the duration of negotiations for months, but expect that will soon agree", Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov said in the Kyiv Telegraph interview, responding to questions about the progress of negotiations on the gas transport consortium.

According to him, Ukraine offers Russia to give guarantees of transit supply: for example, pumping 150 billion cubic meters of gas annually for 10 years through our territory, and the EU - guaranteeing the purchase of this volume. "Without one of the three partners we will not create a gas consortium. And since there are three partners, consequently, everyone has own interests and the negotiating process is thus complicated", the Head of the Government stressed.

Commenting on the proposal of the Russian colleague Vladimir Putin to merge the Russian "Gazprom" and "Naftogaz of Ukraine", Mykola Azarov said: "It was not a joke. The process of creating transnational associations is typical for the global economy. Only we artificially politicize it", he explained.

"But I always stress that it should be counted based on one "iron" principle: how it meets the strategic interests of Ukraine", emphasized Mykola Azarov.

The Prime Minister also informed that Ukraine held several rounds of negotiations with Russia and the European Union. The Parliament of Ukraine has adopted the Law on the gas market - a key condition for the EU, which urges to make the gas market of Ukraine and the "Naftogaz" system transparent.

"By the way, the Head of the Government noted, the system of "Naftogaz" was closed not only to international auditing, but also for their own Government! Neither the former President, nor the Cabinet was familiar with those agreements, which Tymoshenko signed in January 2009. When we took the office, we finally found these documents. It is really difficult to understand how Ukraine could sign such an agreement, as it is economically dangerous for the country".