Ukraine, Iran discuss pipeline construction
UNIAN news agency
5 Mar 05
KIEV
The deputy fuel and energy minister of Ukraine, Serhiy Titenko, and
the deputy minister for international affairs of the Oil Ministry of
the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mohhammad Hadi Hezhad-Hoseyniyan,
discussed the prospects of cooperation in the field of oil and gas at
the third meeting of the joint Ukrainian-Iranian energy committee in
Kiev on 4 March, UNIAN learnt from the press service of the Fuel and
Energy Ministry of Ukraine.
During the meeting the parties agreed to explore the possibility and
demand for a natural gas transportation project [from Iran] to Ukraine
and through Ukrainian territory to Europe.
The prospects for participation by Ukrainian companies in the
implementation of oil and gas projects on the territory of Iran were
also discussed at the meeting. The national joint-stock company
Naftohaz Ukrayiny [state oil and gas company] informed its
counterparts about the decision to open its mission in Iran. Following
the meeting, the parties signed a protocol on facilitating the work of
companies belonging to both states in their countries.
UNIAN reported earlier that on 24 February 2005 Ukrainian President
Viktor Yushchenko and the special envoy of the Iranian president on
the issues of the Caspian Sea and the CIS countries, Mahdi Safari,
discussed the construction of a pipeline from Iran through Ukrainian
territory to Europe. The pipeline would begin in Iran and pass through
the territory of Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine. A section [from
Iran] to Armenia should be built by the end of 2006.
[Passage omitted: Ukraine’s annual gas needs.]