No energy deals are expected to be signed during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's forthcoming visit to Ukraine, Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister Andriy Klyuyev said on Wednesday.
"[Energy] agreements are being finalized and will not be signed on May 17-18 [during Medvedev's visit]," Klyuyev said.
Klyuyev said five draft agreements were being prepared for signing. The agreements concern the demarcation of the Russian-Ukrainian border; cooperation in the use and development of the Navigation Satellite System; cooperation between Russian VTB Bank and Ukrainian Ukreximbank; scientific and technical cooperation in the period 2010-2012; and cultural cooperation in the period 2010-2014.
Klyuyev said the work of the current Cabinet of Ministers was transparent and nothing was being concealed from the public.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin proposed a merger in late April between Russia's energy giant Gazprom and Ukraine's national gas monopoly Naftogaz. His Ukrainian counterpart Mykola Azarov pledged to consider the proposal.
Former Ukrainian prime minister and opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko earlier claimed that the Ukrainian government was preparing secret deals with Russia and demanded that all documents be published. She said the merger proposal was aimed at depriving her country of its sovereignty.
The merger proposal came just days after Russia and Ukraine signed a landmark agreement to extend Russia's use of the Black Sea Fleet's main base in the Crimean port of Sevastopol for 25 years beyond its original 2017 expiration. In return, Ukraine received an immediate discount on Russian natural gas.
The gas-for-fleet deal was severely criticized by the Ukrainian opposition which staged protests inside and outside of the Ukrainian parliament during the ratification of the deal.
The Ukrainian opposition considers the presence of the Russian Navy in Crimea a threat to the country's national sovereignty and integrity. A larger part of the Ukrainian population considers the extension of the lease a catalyst for mutually beneficial cooperation between Kiev and Moscow.
KIEV, May 12 (RIA Novosti)
