ST. PETERSBURG, June 5 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called Friday for a special commission to be set up with the European Union to resolve natural gas disputes.
"For the future, we very much need such a special institution, which will consider such clashes, and not only consider, but consider them with the proper authority," Medvedev said during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
Medvedev reiterated Russia's position on the Energy Charter, which he said was unable to cope with all problems in the sphere. Nor did it help to dissipate the notorious price and debt rows between Moscow and Kiev, which caused disruption in gas shipments to Europe at the turn of the year.
"This means that we should get another basis to iron out these kind of conflicts," the Russian leader said.
The original Energy Charter was signed in The Hague on December 17, 1991. Russia has refused to ratify the treaty, under which it would have to give free access to its pipelines for natural gas transit from Central Asia to the European Union. However, Russian companies would not be able to freely access European pipelines.
Meanwhile, a Gazprom spokesman complained on Friday that Ukraine's payment for natural gas supplied by Russia in May had not come yet.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko gave instructions earlier in the day for the immediate transfer of some $500 million to Gazprom.
"Information on the passage of the payment through the bank has not been forthcoming," Sergei Kupriyanov told the press, adding that due to a Ukrainian public holiday on Monday, the deadline is Tuesday.
