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Gas summit kicks off in Moscow

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-01-17 22:03

MOSCOW - A summit aimed at resolving the current gas dispute between Moscow and Kiev began on Saturday in the Kremlin.

A worker controls a gas valve in pipelines at oil and gas group MOL's gas transmission subsidiary in Vecses January 17, 2009. [Agencies]

Those attending the talks included Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs and Czech Industry and Trade MinisterMartin Riman.

The row has left millions of Europeans without heating in the depths of winter for more than a week since Russia cut off gas supplies via Ukraine to Europe on Jan. 7, one week after it halted supplies to Ukraine over the price of Russian gas Kiev buys.

EU spokesman Johannes Laitenberger on Friday described the Moscow talks as the "last and best chance" to resolve the gas crisis.

Russian gas giant Gazprom reopened its taps to Europe on Tuesday morning under a three-way agreement signed by the EU, Ukraine and Russia, but no gas reached Europe.

Russia accused Ukraine of blocking the gas flow, while Ukraine argued that Russia's choice of the gas route was technically "unacceptable."