Ukraine should own a 34 percent stake in any gas transortation consortium with Russia and the EU to manage its gas transportation system, Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reported on Friday, quoting Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych as saying.
Under Ukraine's plans, Russian gas giant Gazprom and European companies would own 33 percent each.
Russia and Ukraine are embroiled in a drawn-out dispute over the price and volume of Russian gas purchased by Ukraine. Kiev insists the current price is too high, while Moscow is pushing for control of Ukraine’s system of gas transit to Europe.
Both parties have said lately that they see a consortium to manage the Ukrainian gas transit system as a possible solution to the problem but have not agreed on the project’s format.
Yanukovych told the paper that country's gas transportation system should be upgraded, while the expenses seemed to be $5-7 billion for five to seven years.
