Companies@UA: База компаний Украины

Brussels, July 24 (Interfax-Ukraine) – A third round of technical discussions involving the European Commission and international financial institutions (IFIs) with the Ukrainian authorities regarding payment for storage of Russian gas has brought the parties closer, EC spokesperson Mark Gray said in a statement.

"Good progress was made," reads the statement. "The parties are close to agreement regarding the necessary short- and medium-term commitments by the Ukrainian authorities on reform of the Ukrainian gas sector which would make it possible for the IFIs to prepare a package of support for Ukraine."

According to the statement, "this would be designed to address both payment difficulties for the storage of Russian gas in the medium term as well as the reform and modernization of the gas sector."

"The parties will continue to work intensively in the coming days," Gray said.

The EC is to mobilize a technical verification team to examine needs for storage gas next week, which will work in close contact with the preparatory teams of the IFIs, he added.

As was reported, a third round of technical discussions involving the European Commission and the international financial institutions - the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the European Investment Bank – jointly with the Ukrainian authorities on payment for storage of Russian gas was held in Kyiv on July 24, 2009.