At his joint Press Conference with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, President Victor Yushchenko informed the media that on March 23 an investment conference would take place in Brussels at which sides would discuss modernization of Ukrainian gas transit system.
"We are conducting open policy and are interested in the European Union considering Ukraine a reliable partner in energy relations", - said President Yushchenko. He noted that although Ukraine's gas transport system is one of the most reliable in Europe, it needs modernization. And to discussing that modernization, according to him, will be dedicated the conference in Brussels.
Beside that President Yushchenko pointed to importance of integration of Ukrainian gas transport system into European system saying that "we see our future in integration of Ukraine's gas transport system into European market".
From his part Jose Manuel Barroso thanked to the Ukrainian side for its assurance of Ukraine's readiness to keep up to the new gas agreements with Russia. He also stressed that he has never doubted Ukraine's unwillingness to disrupt gas supplies to Europe. "There was a problem of confidence between Russia and Ukraine as supplier and transit party respectively but we see that this was not Ukraine's actions against Europe. This was due to problems between Ukraine and Russia". According to him, therefore, relations between Ukraine and the EU remain unharmed and would develop further.
