Aleksei Miller (1962- ), CEO of Gazprom

In the wake of his meeting with Aleksei Miller, the head of Gazprom, President Dmitri Medvedev said that Europeans must be made aware that Gazprom delivered gas to Ukraine at one price, but, ordinary Ukrainians had actually to pay double that price for Russian gas. Mr Miller, the CEO of Gazprom, informed President Medvedev about the lack of progress at the talks on gas deliveries to Ukraine. The dialogue resumed, but, it gives the impression that the Ukrainian negotiators have no mandate or no instructions on the level of 2009 prices and volumes of gas purchases. Asked by President Medvedev if Kiev came up with any suggestions, Mr Miller emphasised that the talks are going nowhere. The head of Gazprom stressed that the Ukraine is not prepared to sign a contract.

In his turn, Mr Medvedev directed Gazprom to cooperate with the Ukraine in the gas sector only after they sign all the necessary documents. In this case, he noted, “It is the only way to stop them from stealing gas”. He also emphasised, “Unfortunately, I do not trust the Ukrainian side”, and explained it by saying, “I would like to remind you that when we delivered gas to Ukrainian users at 179.50 dollars (5,232 roubles. 133.35 euros. 118.30 UK pounds) per 1,000 cubic metres last year, that same gas was sold to them at the price of 320 dollars (9,327 roubles. 237.72 euros. 210.91 UK pounds) per 1,000 cubic metres. The difference was pocketed by unknown parties, which, most probably, uphold the corrupt interests of others, and the money realised in such a way, in all probability, was used to attain certain political ends or to resolve someone’s personal problems. This is very upsetting. Our European colleagues should know about this”.

Bearing this in mind, and recalling the fact that the Ukraine rejected Russia’s previous proposal of a privileged gas price, Mr Medvedev declared that, in future, Russia would give no more preferences or gas discounts. He said, “The financial model for any future contract, which we shall use for all customers, should be based on universal regulators, including the fixing of prices. Therefore, in future, I believe, we should make use of no preferences; we should give no discounts to any states. The price should be the standard one, the same for Europeans and Ukrainians, without any preferences or discounts. Ukrainians should pay the price the Europeans are paying”. At present, the price of Russian natural gas in Europe is approximately 450 dollars (13,116 roubles. 334 euros. 296 UK pounds) per 1,000 cubic meters. This is the specific price currently being negotiated by Gazprom at talks with the Ukraine.

9 January 2009

Konstantin Garibov

Voice of Russia World Service

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=rus&q=96918&cid=20&p=09.01.2009

Editor’s Note:

As Alice said, things do get curiouser and curiouser. It appears that the Ukie nationalist extremists have beaten the record for bald-faced corruption, edging out such strong competitors as Boss Tweed, Dick Daley, Yassir Arafat, King Saud, and Robert Mugabe (reflect on the fact that Yushchenko’s wife comes from Chicago, the home of the Daley Machine). They negotiated a discount price from Gazprom, and then stuck the Big Green Weenie to the peoples of the Ukraine. Whenever you hear a loudmouth Galician Uniate nationalist shouting out their diatribes, reflect on the following. Since 1991, Russia has been selling not only natural gas, but other goods and services, to the Ukraine at knockdown discount prices. Where’s the gratitude?

THERE ISN’T ANY.

If it were not for this effectual subsidy by Russia, the Ukrainian economy would have collapsed in ruins. In short, Russia has propped up this shaky and dodgy edifice. It is time for that to stop. The leadership of the Ukraine is comparable only to Enron, WorldCom, and Bernie Madoff in the depth of its corruption and deceit. Let this weak successor-state die naturally. The world will be no poorer; indeed, the suffering peoples of the Ukraine would be freed from misrule and kleptocracy. As for Yushchenko and his cronies… let them come to the West and sponge off their American sponsors instead of the Russians. I wonder how long it would take for them to wear out their welcome? Perspiring minds want to know!

BMD