Russia blinks first in gas row
Russia has all but abandoned a gas blockade against neighbouring Ukraine after European trade partners complained that their own supplies had been hit and warned Moscow that relations would suffer. Gazprom, the state-controlled monopoly, said on Monday that it would restore full gas supplies to Europe by Tuesday, two days after it cut supplies to Ukraine in a dispute over a steep price rise. Gas deliveries across Europe, which imports a quarter of its supply from Russia, fell by up to a quarter as Moscow reduced exports through a pipeline to Ukraine that continues on to European customers. Russia accused Ukraine of siphoning off supplies intended for customers further along the pipeline.
Posted by: Fred 2006-01-03 |