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Ukraine's Yanukovych eyes Nord Stream

KIEV, Ukraine, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Ukraine should examine joining the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline to Germany, said Ukrainian presidential contender Viktor Yanukovych.

Yanukovych, the leader of the pro-Russia Party of Regions, said he would reset Ukraine as a reliable partner for gas transits to Europe if he wins a Feb. 7 runoff, Russia's RIA Novosti reports.

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"Ukraine should enter the consortium now involved in the Nord Stream project," he said. "We will make this bid."

Nord Stream is a Russian project to diversify its energy transit options to Europe. Russian energy monopoly Gazprom cut gas supplies to Ukraine briefly in January 2009 following a dispute over debts and contracts. That disruption exposed vulnerabilities in the European energy sector as 80 percent of all Russian gas for Europe travels through Soviet-era pipelines in Ukraine.

Ukrainians voted during the weekend for their first president since the 2004 Orange Revolution brought pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko to power.

Yanukovych faces Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko in a Feb. 7 runoff as neither candidate emerged with a clear majority.

The runoff coincides with the deadline for Kiev to pay its monthly gas debt to Russia. Yanukovych said he would negotiate a "just price" for gas if he won the runoff.

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Tymoshenko, for her part, campaigned that she would keep gas transit systems under Kiev's control if elected president.

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