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Russia, Ukraine leaders clear the air

Vladimir Radyuhin

Gas agreement fair and legitimate, say leaders

— PHOTO: AP

REDUCING TENSIONS: Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, during a meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday.

MOSCOW: During their first meeting in 12 months, Presidents of Russia and Ukraine, Vladimir Putin and Viktor Yushchenko cleared the air in bilateral relations poisoned by a bitter dispute over the price of gas Russia supplies to Ukraine.

Meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan, on the sidelines of President Nursultan Nazarbayev's inauguration on Wednesday, the Russian and Ukrainian leaders hailed the recent gas agreement as fair and legitimate.

Mr. Putin said the agreement, which raised the price of Russian gas for Ukraine by 90 per cent, had been compiled "with full respect for the interests of both sides," while Mr. Yushchenko said the deal "suits everybody."

Russian delegation sources said Mr. Yushchenko backed away from his earlier threat to raise the fee for the Russian Black Sea fleet base in Sevastopol. Mr. Yushchenko said the two sides were "close" to signing a border delimitation pact on disputed sections in the Azov Sea and the Black Sea.

The two sides also agreed to reconvene a joint committee on trade and economic ties and to intensify cooperation in the nuclear energy sphere.

Mr. Putin said Ukraine's Prime Minister Yuri Yekhanurov will visit Moscow shortly.

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