Turkey's Energy and Natural Resources Minister Mehmet Hilmi Guler said on Saturday Turkey was holding talks with Russia and Ukraine to end their natural gas dispute.
Turkey continued its mediation to solve the natural gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine, Guler was quoted as saying by the semi-official Anatolia news agency.
"We have talked with Gazprom (Russia's gas company) and Naftogaz (Ukraine's gas company), and the energy ministers of two countries," Guler said.
Guler said he met Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Korsunsky to Turkey on Thursday, and discussed recent developments and proposals for a settlement.
Korsunsky conveyed him a letter signed by deputy prime minister of Ukraine, head of Naftogaz executive board and European commissioner for energy, which is about Ukraine's demands from Turkey for a settlement, Guler said.
Turkey knew well about its responsibilities to provide natural gas for not only its citizens but also for Europe, and hoped that the dispute would be solved as soon as possible, according to the minister.
On Jan. 6, Guler announced the flow of natural gas from the western line of Russia to Turkey via Ukraine completely stopped.
Russia cut off gas supply to Ukraine on New Year's Day after the two countries failed to come to terms on Ukraine's payment of arrears and prices for 2009.
A week later, Russia stopped pumping all gas to Europe through Ukraine, saying it had been forced to do so because Ukraine closed down all gas transit routes to Europe.
Source: Xinhua
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