MOSCOW, December 20 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's foreign minister told his Czech counterpart Tuesday that he was certain Russia would honor its obligations on gas supplies to Europe in the wake of the strenuous Russian-Ukrainian negotiations on gas deliveries and transit in Moscow.
"The negotiations are being conducted, above all, between the two countries' companies," Lavrov said, referring to Russian energy giant Gazprom and Ukrainian national gas company Naftogaz.
For nine months, the two companies have been in talks over European prices for Russian natural gas deliveries to Ukraine and transit fees for Russian gas transit to Europe via Ukrainian territory.
"However, I am sure that the good tradition of Gazprom and Russia fulfilling their obligations to European consumers will continue to be observed," Lavrov said.
The Czech minister, Cyril Svoboda, said his country had no intention of interfering with Russian-Ukrainian relations.
According to Svoboda, the Czech Republic regards Ukraine as a country preparing for parliamentary elections in March and expects these elections to be transparent and democratic.
The Czech minister also said that his country, as a European Union member, was interested in Ukraine's orientation towards Europe.
Lavrov said the elections in Ukraine would not, however, change geography.
"Russia will remain a Ukrainian neighbor," the minister said. "We want to understand how we can co-exist next to each other, without any obstacles in Russia's and Ukraine's rapprochement with the EU."
