KIEV, February 11 (RIA Novosti, Pavel Dulman) - France and Germany could join an international consortium for natural gas transport formed by Russia and Ukraine, the head of Ukraine's national energy company Naftogaz, Alexei Ivchenko, said Saturday.
According to Ukrainian TV Channel 5, France and Germany's participation was discussed at the consortium's recent meeting, attended by Russian Ambassador to Ukraine Viktor Chernomyrdin.
"We proposed that both the Germans and the French be invited to join. There were no objections from the Russian side," Ivchenko said.
The agreement on forming the international consortium for the management and development of Ukraine's gas transport system was signed by the Russian and Ukrainian prime ministers in October 2002. Russia is represented in the consortium by energy Gazprom, and Ukraine by Naftogaz.
The consortium is currently working on the Bogorodchany-Uzhgorod pipeline project that will enable Russia to increase its natural gas shipments to Europe by 19 billion cubic meters per year. Construction of the pipeline will begin in the first half of 2006.
