Eurasia

Gas deal threatens Ukraine’s crisis-hit economy

KIEV (Reuters) – An abrupt rise in Russian gas prices will undermine Ukraine’s economic and energy security and leave some enterprises on the brink of insolvency, officials and analysts said Tuesday. Its economy already in a tailspin due to the global financial crisis, Ukraine will now pay $360 per 1,000 …

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FACTBOX: Russia and Ukraine sign 10-year gas supply deal

(Reuters) – Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom and Ukrainian energy firm Naftogaz have signed 10-year gas supply and transit deals, ending a contract row which left part of Europe without the supplies in midwinter. The contracts, signed in the presence of the prime ministers of both countries on Monday, allowed …

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France signals easing conditions for Hamas talks

PARIS (Reuters) – France signaled on Tuesday that it might be prepared to hold talks with Hamas even if the Palestinian Islamist group does not recognize Israel as Paris and other Western powers have demanded for years. The “Quartet” of Middle East mediators — the United States, the European Union, …

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Bulgaria receives first Russian gas

SOFIA (Reuters) – Bulgaria has received the first quantities of Russian gas on Tuesday and normal daily supplies to domestic consumers could resume in 24 hours, the Economy and Energy Ministry said. Sofia has requested at least 8.6 million cubic meters of gas a day, the ministry said in a …

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Russian gas reaches Europe again via Ukraine

MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) – Russian gas reached Europe via Ukraine for the first time in two weeks on Tuesday after Moscow and Kiev ended a contract row that cut supplies to about 20 European countries. Austria, Slovakia and Hungary said they had started to receive gas though pipeline operators said it …

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Solana Declares EU Readiness to Monitor Gaza Ceasefire

TEHRAN (FNA)- EU is ready to monitor implementation of ceasefire in Gaza, EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana said in a meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Safari. At the meeting held in Brussels on Monday, the two diplomats discussed Gaza, Afghanistan, Caucasia and the Central Asia and other …

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2009, sub semnul crizelor oportune

„Scris în chineză, cuvântul criză este alcătuit din două caractere – unul înseamnă pericol, iar celălalt înseamnă oportunitate”(John Kennedy) Dan Dungaciu d.dungaciu@gmail.com Anul 2009 se anunţă unul de criză pentru RM. Dincolo de cele prevăzute – contexte interne pre- şi postelectorale tumultoase, criza financiară globală – au apărut şi altele, …

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U.S. urges Russia to resume gas flow after Ukraine deal

MOSCOW (Reuters) – The United States urged Russia on Sunday to resume pumping gas to Europe through Ukraine at once after finally agreeing a price for 2009 as negotiators worked on a detailed Russian-Ukrainian agreement to be signed Monday. The prime ministers of Ukraine and Russia said they had agreed …

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Price details unclear in murky Russia-Ukraine deal

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Who pays and who profits from Sunday’s apparent agreement on a new gas relationship between Russia and Ukraine? In a normal, commercial world, it should be easy enough to work out. But the complex, opaque nature of the two nations’ gas dealings and the lack of full …

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EU says unclear when Russian gas supplies to resume

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union Presidency said on Sunday that it was not clear when gas supplies would resume to Europe despite a deal announced by the prime ministers of Ukraine and Russia. “We welcome the progress achieved in the talks between the representatives of the Russian Federation and …

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