Borrell: EU not to meddle in Moldova–Gazprom talks

BRUSSELS, Oct 28 (PRIME) -- EU will not interfere in negotiations on gas supplies between Moldova and Russian gas giant Gazprom, the E.U. Foreign Affairs and Security Policy High Representative Josep Borrell said at a meeting with Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita on Thursday.

“I won’t tell my Moldovan friends and colleagues what to do, this is a sovereign state that can make decisions on its own... They can negotiate, be pragmatic, seek the best conditions from Gazprom,” Borrell said.

Gas supplies should not become a geopolitical weapon, Borrell said.

“Gas is a commodity that is sold and bought, it should not be a geopolitical weapon,” he said, expressing the opinion that Gazprom allegedly tried to exert political pressure on Moldova with regard to the gas issue.

According to Gavrilita, Moldova is interested in a long-term contract at acceptable prices.

“We want a contract that we can fulfill, for many years we had strong contractual relations with Gazprom, we were fulfilling the contract conditions, now we are negotiating from a pragmatic point of view, we are discussing financial and economic issues, we hope that these negotiations will be successful,” Gavrilita told Borrell at the meeting.

Earlier on Thursday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Pankin said at an economic forum in Verona that Russia is not going to negotiate gas supplies to Moldova to the detriment of this country or force anyone into accepting unfavorable terms.

Russia and Moldova, as well as their gas companies, have been in talks over a new gas contract since October 1, when Russian gas giant Gazprom ultimately refused to extend the 2008 and demanded that Moldova pay U.S. $700 million of its debts to the company and sign a new contract with fair market prices.

End