RIA Novosti cited Mr Mykola Azarov Ukrainian Prime Minister as saying that Moscow is ready to allow Kiev to use Russian pipelines to transit Turkmen gas to Ukraine. He said that "Why can't we receive cheap gas from Turkmenistan? Because we did not have access to the pipe in the Russian territory." Mr Azarov said "We agreed for the first time that within six months after an agreement comes into force, we will sign an agreement on the conditions of the pipeline transit." In August following a row between Moscow and Kiev over the price Ukraine pays for Russian gas, Ukrainian state energy monopoly Naftogaz threatened to cut its gas imports from Russia if Moscow does not agree to lower the price. Naftogaz is currently negotiating the issue with Russia energy giant Gazprom. Earlier this month, Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Ms Yulia Tymoshenko was sentenced to seven years in jail on charges of abusing her power in the signing of a 2009 gas deal with Russia. She has already appealed the verdict. Turkmenistan, holding the world fourth largest gas reserves is looking to diversify exports from its traditional destination of Russia. Last year, the country announced plans to supply up to 40 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Europe. Turkmenistan may become one of the key gas suppliers to the EU-supported Nabucco project.

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