MOSCOW, September 9 (RIA Novosti) - Kiev...

President Dmitry Medvedev told the Gazprom chief on Monday that the Russian energy giant should stop paying Ukraine"s transit fees in advance and stick to the January agreement that ended a gas dispute between the former Soviet neighbors.

The deal, which has been repeatedly criticized by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, does not include provisions on advance payments.

"The conflict was resolved after the signing this year of a long-term contract between Gazprom and [Ukrainian energy company] Naftogaz that put an end to non-transparent gas supply schemes. Ukraine intends to honor the terms of the contract," Bohdan Danylyshyn was quoted as saying by Vedomosti on Wednesday.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko reiterated early this week that the bilateral gas contracts signed in January would be intact.

Tymoshenko said Kiev would buy around 25 billion cubic meters in 2010, half the agreed amount of gas stipulated in the 2009-2019 contract. Naftogaz

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