courtesy Gassco

Norwegian pipeline operator Gassco has been asked by European Union headquarters in Brussels to do its part toward ending a long-standing Russian-Ukrainian gas-supply dispute by sending monitors to the hisortic Ukrainian-Romanian border.

The Norwegian government forwarded the EU's request to the high-tech operator, and on Saturday Gassco sent the first of possibly two gas-metering experts as an observer to ensure Russian gas arrives at the border in agreed volumes. The observer replaces one sent earlier by the European Union.

A Gassco communique said the Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg had acceded to a request for observers earlier this month, when he met Mirek Topolánek, his Czech opposite number and current president of the European Commission. Putting international observers in place was demanded by Russia before it would resume gas deliveries through the Ukrainian pipeline system.

A company specialist is said to be in the border town of Tekovo on a 10 day mission to "check that metered volumes accord with bookings." Another could yet fly out to control centres in Kiev or Moscow.

Gassco is long accustomed to operating an international gas grid as overseer of Norwegian exports to much of Europe.

Press chief Kjell Varlo Larsen said the call came on short notice for observers and their CV's.

Tags: Gassco