OREANDA-NEWS. May 30, 2011. The Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine welcomes the EU position on the need to provide a reliable gas transit to Europe, stated by the Commissioner for Energy - European Commission Gunther Ottinger on April 25, 2011 in Brussels.

In particular, estimating prospects of routes of transit of gas to the Europe, Gunther Ottinger noted that “the Southern stream” is not the main priority for EU, is said in the verbatim record of a speech of its performance, which is placed on an official site of the European Commission.

“The Southern stream” - not ours (European Union) the main priority though we accept its value, in particular for Russia, for diversification of routes”, - Gunther Ottinger declared.

Also the Commissioner for Energy - European Commission outlined a number of the important questions on realization of the project “the Southern stream”, in particular influences on loading Ukrainian GTS.

“Besides there are a lot of questions: Where will the gas actually come from? Where will it arrive? How will it arrive, by ship or by pipeline? Will it divert gas from Ukraine? Once it gets to Europe, what will happen? Most importantly, who can ship gas in the project? Is it only Gazprom, or also other players?”, - Gunther Ottinger emphasized.

The Commissioner of EU expressed interest in the balanced relationships of the European Union, Ukraine and Russia in issues of deliveries of gas to the Europe.

“I am also interested in a balanced trilateral EU-Russia-Ukraine solution on future gas flows to the EU” The Commissioner of EU noted.

At the same time, the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry considers, that capacities of the Ukrainian gas-transport system which exist today, provide a possibility to load the main Ukrainian gas pipeline for transit of the Russian gas in the countries of the Western and Central Europe in additional volumes of natural gas without expansion of system of the main gas pipeline.

Let's remind that early the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine Yuriy Boyko had noted, that growth of paces of modernization of gas-transport system, its openness and reliability reduce chances of the construction of “the Southern stream” - the direct competitor of the Ukrainian route of transit of gas to the Europe.

“For us “the Southern stream”- a threat to our national interests, and we shall always oppose it. Moreover, we see that the position of Europe in recent times is far from the "pink" expectations that have been before. Therefore, the more we shall modernize the GTS, the more we shall be opened, to show reliability, and it is less chances to realized “the Southern stream”, that is directed draining ours GTS", - Yuriy Boyko noted.

Also Yuriy Boyko informed, that modernization of the Ukrainian gas-transport system with participation of financial establishments of the European Union will begin in the middle of June, 2011. Reconstruction domestic GTS will begin with pipeline Urengoj-Pomary-Uzhgorod. For participation in welding of “a gold butt” the Commissioner for Energy - European Commission Gunther Ottinger arrives to Ukraine.

“The first butt will be welded in the middle of June, the Commissioner specially comes there and we begin modernization of pipeline Urengoj-Pomary-Uzhgorod. It is the first part of modernization of our GTS with participation of the international financial establishments from the European Union”, - Yuriy Boyko informed.

The Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry assures that Ukraine will adhere onwards to partner obligations and remain reliable transitive country of the Russian gas to the EU countries.