Kiev and Tehran study plans for gas pipeline project

Kiev and Tehran are examining ways of transporting natural gas to central and western Europe through Ukraine, Foreign Minister Anatoly Zlenko announced during an official visit by his Iranian counterpart Kamal Kharazi. "It's the first time we have broached the subject. We'll be entering negotiations soon with the European Union," Zlenko said at a joint press conference. Kharazi said a joint working group would be set up to examine the technicalities.
Zlenko stressed that the project was not intended "to threaten Russia," which has said it intends to build its own pipeline skirting Ukrainian territory to deliver Russian gas to western Europe via Poland, Belarus and Slovakia. Ukraine's gas pipeline network is well-developed, with a carrying capacity of 190 bn cmpy of gas. However it is currently functioning at less than 70 % of its capacity.

Kharazi arrived in Kiev for a three-day visit designed to boost political and trade ties between the two countries. He was due to meet President Leonid Kuchma and Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko later. Kharazi leaves Ukraine for Minsk, capital of Belarus, where he will meet his Belarussian counterpart Mikhail Khvostov and other officials.