President of Ukraine warns country's Premier against interference with his agreements with Azerbaijan

President of Ukraine Viktor Yuschenko considers that the Cabinet of Ministers has no right to prohibit to Ukrtransneft company to conclude contracts on supply and transportation of oil from Azerbaijan by Odessa-Brody pipeline, said he at the opening of the session of the Ukrainian Council of National Security and Defense.

"We must not allow to pass incompetent decisions about suspension of the activity of any legal establishment if there are intergovernmental commitments. This is not the competence of powers but the right of an economic establishment", explained the president.

At the same time, he noted that Cabinet of Ministers is politicizing the issue of Odessa-Brody launching in the Brody direction, which do not comply with the commitments Ukraine has undertaken. "A person, who speaks of corruption more than others, can be a jobster himself as a guilty mind is never at ease", noted the President.

He voiced discontent with the actions of the Cabinet of Ministers which hampers differentiation of oil supplies and ensuring of energy dependence of Ukraine.

He noted that the use of Odessa-Brody pipeline in the Odessa direction does not bring the dividends, which can be gained under its direct use. "We are transiting 5-6 mln tons of oil per year, use the potential of the pipeline by 50% and it does not ensure diversification of supplies", said the Ukrainian President.

It should be noted that previously the Cabinet of Ministers prohibited to Ukrtransneft to sign independent contracts with the oil reginery Galichina (Lvov) and Neftekhimik Prikarpatya about supply of Caspian oil in the reverse direction by the Odessa-Brody pipeline before a separate decision of the government is passed.

Prime Minister Yuliya Timoshenko explained the decision with an intention to prevent corruption.

ow 2 Western Ukraine plants are ready to buy 5-7 mln tons of crude. Earlier Galichina and Neftekhimik Prikarpatya submitted the draft agreements on oil transportation by Odessa-Brody pipeline in Brody direction.

The oil refineries will pay $68,000,000 each to Ukrtransneft every year.

On May 22 Ukrtransneft signed a contract with Mero CR (Czechia) on cooperation in implementation of the project on oil transportation by Odessa-Brody pipeline via Slovakia to the Czechian oil refinery in Krapuli.

Ukraine plans to hold a test supply of 44,000 tons of light Ukrainian oil by the said route.

Currently, Odessa-Brody pipeline is operated in Odessa direction.

/proUa/