Gazprom floats gas fix for Slovakia

(MOSCOW) - Gazprom on Wednesday assented to a proposal for supplying gas to Slovakia, which has been hard hit in the gas dispute between Ukraine and Russia.

The proposal would involve Russia pumping gas to Ukraine's domestic market and Ukraine exporting gas from its own reserves.

"Gazprom would give 20 million cubic metres of gas a day for Ukraine's internal needs, which is what is needed for Slovakia," Gazprom chief Alexei Miller told reporters after meeting Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico.

"Ukraine would then give the same amount from its underground reserves. It's up to Ukraine. We agreed to this operation," Miller said, adding that the proposal had come from Fico and noting it was "completely workable."

Miller said a similar fix was being discussed with Moldova.

The prime ministers of Bulgaria, Moldova and Slovakia visited Moscow on Wednesday for talks with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev on the European gas crisis, which has hit their countries hard.

They also visited Gazprom's central control room in Moscow.

Slovakia has said it will be forced to reopen a nuclear power plant that it was obliged to shut down as part of its commitments to join the European Union if the gas crisis continues, prompting concern in neighbouring countries.

Russia halted all gas supplies to European customers via Ukraine last Wednesday as part of an escalating dispute with Ukraine over debt payments, gas import prices and allegations of illegal siphoning of the gas.