UPDATE 2-Gazprom hopes for Ukraine gas debt deal
* Hopeful of resolution to Ukraine dispute.
* Gazprom says Ukraine should pay higher gas price in 2009.
* Plans to sell more gas in France. (Adds comments by Medvedev, other details)
PARIS, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom (GAZP.MM) is hopeful of a resolution in its dispute with Ukraine over back payment for natural gas and wants the southwestern neighbour state to pay a higher price in 2009.
The deputy chairman of Gazprom's management board could not say on Friday when a deal could be struck but said the world's largest natural gas group had made proposals to Ukraine. He added that Europe could do more to help find a solution, as a lot of gas for European consumption flows through a pipeline on Ukrainian soil.
Alexander Medvedev said Gazprom's investment plans were unaffected by the global financial crisis, which he said was far from over. "Our cash flow allows us to meet all our investment targets," Medvedev told a news conference in Paris.
"Life has not come back to the credit system ... Vampires took the blood from the financial system," he added.
He was in France to mark the anniversary of an agreement between Gazprom and French utility GDF Suez (GSZ.PA)
Gazprom says Ukraine owes it $2.4 billion for September-November gas supplies plus interest for late payment. Ukraine says it owes $2 billion.
"I hope that the situation will be solved," he said.
"We are in intensive talks," he added.
Medvedev said Ukraine should pay a higher price for gas in 2009 compared with 2008. He said Gazprom was "making proposals" to its Ukraine counterparts but declined to give details.
He said Europe could do more to help end the dispute.
Earlier this week, a spokesman for the European Energy Commissioner said Andris Piebalgs was very concerned by the current dispute between Russia and Ukraine.
A Soviet-era pipeline network transports a fifth of Europe's gas from Russia across Ukraine, and European countries worry that a row between the two countries could cut their supplies -- as it did briefly in January 2006. Continued...
