Ambassador of Austria to Russia Martin Vukovich speak in support of involving Ukraine and Belarus in the dialogue between Russia and the European Union on energy issue.
“Countries, which are producers, transitors and gas consumers, should cooperate more closely in the future. It is desirable that such countries-transitors as Ukraine and Belarus take part in energy dialogue between the Russian Federation and the EU, in particular, in discussion of agreements on energy safety,” said Vukovich.
“A mechanism of disputes’ settlement may become an important element of this trilateral cooperation, and this settlement will be obligatory for all parties,” underlined the Ambassador.
He noted that both Energy charter and the WTO provides for a procedure of disputes’ settling, but reminded that Russia has not ratified Energy charter and has not finished the procedure on entering the WTO.
Austrian Ambassador reported that his country receives about 60% of gas from Russia.
“12 European countries have higher part of Russian gas… but nevertheless, temporal reduction in gas deliveries became an unpleasant surprise for Vienna citizens, as considerable part of houses in Austria capital are heated by gas,” pointed out Vukovich.
He added that Austria has been delivered gas from Western Siberia since 1968 year. “For the last 37 years the USSR and then Russia turned out to be reliable partners. Austria does not have grounds to doubt in that this trusting cooperation will continue and deepen,” declared the diplomat.
