Slovakia Wants to be Energy-Transit Country

Slovakia intends to preserve its role as a transit country for energy and is committed to bolstering cooperation in this sphere, Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Jan Kubis said at the third International Energy Forum and Energy Security Summit in Kiev, Ukraine on Friday.Slovakia was invited to the event as a country that is involved in energy cooperation between states such as Poland, Ukraine, Georgia and Azerbaijan, which approved a joint declaration on oil transport at the Forum.

Kubis said that these efforts stem from the principles of the European Energy Charter, and that Slovakia therefore views them as a positive complement to parallel steps that are being adopted by the EU. The initiatives will lead to "the creation of a unified European energy area".

In his speech, the minister stressed Slovakia's endeavours to establish "co-operation with Ukraine in the sphere of electricity trading." He added that Slovakia is interested in signing an agreement on electricity supplies from Ukraine.

Although Kiev has made the same commitment, it is still unknown when such a deal will be drawn up. Ukraine has come up with several partial solutions aimed at clinching the deal, however.

The two officials concurred that the document will be signed by both sides in Bratislava on May 30 during Ogryzko's planned working visit to Slovakia.

(created by Karina Katuscakova)