President outlined energy priorities

President Viktor Yushchenko on Tuesday spoke at the 10^th Istanbul Conference “The East Meets the West: New Borders of Energy Security”, President’s press office informs.

In his speech, Yushchenko said it was Ukraine’s top priority to diversify energy transportation routes to strengthen energy security and described energy monopolies as the major problem and threat. “We have seen many times energy being used as a means of pressure. This is an undesirable and dangerous tendency,” he said and added that Ukraine was among the authors of a pan-European energy strategy to guarantee the rights of energy producers, energy transporters and energy consumers. “Transparent and mutually beneficial energy relationships are a basis for future energy security.” Ukraine supports a recent appeal by the European Parliament to the Russian Federation to ratify the European Energy Charter, he added.

Speaking about the country’s energy plans, the President noted: “We are aiming at developing the Odesa-Brody oil pipeline as an important element of the Eurasian Oil Corridor’, and added that “westward extension of oil pipe line is underway”.

“Kyiv is ready to consider proposals regarding the creation of an international consortium to extend the Odesa-Brody oil pipeline to Plock, as well as the pipe oil production and its transportation,” he said, expressing confidence that the successful implementation of this project would help create “a new, civilized, transparent energy market in Europe.”

Yushchenko pledged to ensure Ukraine pipes gas safety transit through the whole country, without interruptions. “Ukraine has always acted and will act as a responsible and reliable partner,” he said, adding that the country was now modernizing its gas transportation system and so was interested in implementing the NABUKKO gas pipeline project.

As producer of electricity, Ukraine also aims to increase its presence in Europe and thus was consistently fulfilling the program to join the UCTE system.

Speaking about nuclear energy, the President said Ukraine would take measures to enhance reliability and security of its nuclear reactors and would build new power plants. “Ukraine is putting its energy policy on a qualitatively new level, which means higher reliability and energy efficiency.”