Ukraine PM requests gas talks with Russia's Putin

KIEV, Jan 14 (Reuters) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said on Wednesday she wanted talks on gas with Russia to be conducted at government level rather than between the two countries' gas companies.

Tymoshenko said government officials had been in contact with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's office to arrange a telephone conversation between the two premiers.

"Today, our goverment's protocol department has spoken to the Russian government's protocol department to discuss today how to make talks between Gazprom and Naftogaz the direct work of the two governments," she told a news conference. (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk, writing by Ron Popeski, editing by Robin Paxton)