Gazprom says unclear when gas talks will resume
MOSCOW, Jan 8 (Reuters) - A delegation from Russia's Gazprom (GAZP.MM) is flying back to Moscow from Brussels and does not know when talks with Ukraine over their gas dispute will resume, Gazprom's deputy chief executive Alexander Medvedev said.
Medvedev told Reuters on Thursday talks on a multi-lateral monitoring system to ensure smooth gas transit collapsed on Thursday because Ukraine did not accept Russian proposals and Gazprom could not accept those of Kiev.
He said Ukraine had first refused to sign a protocol prepared by Gazprom and then Gazprom refused to sign a protocol proposed by Ukraine because Russian specialists or observers from European gas firms were not included among the monitors.
"It (the Ukrainian proposal) is a perverted version of the idea of multi-lateral control and can only serve the goal of public opinion manipulation. We do not intend to supply gas which is simply disappearing in Ukraine's gas transportation system," he told Reuters by telephone. (Reporting by Dmitry Zhdannikov; editing by Christian Lowe)
