The delivery of Russian natural gas is expected to resume Tuesday morning after Ukraine, Russia and the European Union signed a protocol allowing observers to monitor pipelines that transport the fuel across Ukraine. Moscow and Kyiv came to an agreement following the collapse of an earlier deal over the weekend.
俄罗斯可望从星期二上午开始恢复向欧洲输送天然气。乌克兰、俄罗斯和欧盟已经签署协议，允许观察人员检测俄罗斯给乌克兰输送燃料的过程。莫斯科和基辅是在经历了周末一次谈判失败之后达成这个协议的。
The Deputy Chairman of Russia's Gazprom state gas monopoly, Alexander Medvedev, says delivery of gas to Europe will resume under the condition that no obstacles are created to prevent the reopening of pipeline valves.
俄罗斯天然气巨头天然气工业股份公司GAZPROM的副董事长亚里山大.梅德韦杰夫(Alexander Medvedev)表示，恢复给欧洲提供天然气的条件是，不得给开通管道闸门设置任何障碍。
Medvedev says the company assumes such obstacles will not be created, and the transit of gas from Russia to Ukraine can begin at 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, Central European time, or 10:00 a.m. Moscow time. He adds that everyone hopes this will indeed happen.
梅德韦杰夫说，他的公司认为，这类障碍将不会发生。从俄罗斯到乌克兰的天然气输送开始的时间是中欧时间星期二上午8点，莫斯科时间上午10点。他还补充说，大家都希望一切按计划进行。
Russia agreed to resume deliveries after the European Union added its signature to a gas monitoring protocol between Russia and Ukraine. Moscow insisted that observers monitor the flow of gas through Ukrainian territory to make certain Kyiv is not siphoning the fuel destined for Europe, an allegation Russia has made and Ukraine has denied.
俄罗斯是在欧盟在俄乌两国天然气监督协议上签字之后才同意恢复输送天然气的。莫斯科坚持要观察员监督天然气输送过境乌克兰到欧洲的情况。检测的目的是确保乌克兰不在中途“偷气”。俄罗斯一直指责乌克兰偷气，但乌克兰予以否认。
An earlier protocol, which Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko signed on Saturday, fell apart over Russian objections to remarks she added to the agreement. Ukrainian officials say those remarks were not legally binding, but Moscow objected, saying they changed the substance of the agreement.
乌克兰总理季莫申科星期六签署的一个协议因为俄罗斯反对她在协议中加进的一些文字而流产。乌克兰官员说，那些文字没有法律约束力，但是俄罗斯依然表示反对，认为，这些文字改变了协议的实质性内容。
Ms. Tymoshenko's signing statement said Ukraine did not steal Russian gas, and demanded that Russia provide fuel to maintain the pressure needed to pump it to Europe. The amount Ukraine says is needed for technical gas is the same amount Russia claims Kyiv had been stealing since January 1 - 21 million cubic meters per day. Russia refuses to provide gas for technical purposes, saying it pays Ukraine a transit fee for such fuel.
季莫申科签署的声明说，乌克兰没有偷俄罗斯的天然气，并要求俄罗斯提供燃料，保持给欧洲送气所需要的气压。乌克兰方面所要求的天然气数量跟俄罗斯指责乌克兰从1月1号以来盗窃的天然气数量--每天2100万立方米--是一致的。俄罗斯拒绝为维持输气管压力而提供天然气(技术性天然气)。俄罗斯表示，它为这类燃料付给乌克兰了一笔过境费。
But Oleksiy Hudyma, energy advisor to Prime Minister Tymoshenko, told VOA Russia and Ukraine have no gas transport contract, which exposes his country to possible financial liabilities. He says that prior to 2006, Russia provided Ukraine with technical gas, which Kyiv sold to cover its transport costs. Since then, Hudyma claims Moscow, has insisted on paying cash instead of providing payment in kind.
但是，季莫申科总理的能源顾问哈迪马对美国之音表示，俄罗斯和乌克兰之间没有天然气输送合同，乌克兰存在一定的债务风险。他说，2006年之前，俄罗斯给乌克兰提供目的在于维持输气管压力的天然气，并让乌克兰把它卖掉来获得输送费用。哈迪马说，2006年之后，俄罗斯就坚持用现金来支付，而不再用实物作为支付手段。
The advisor agrees that Ukraine received cash for the transport of Russian gas, and bought technical gas from Russia with that money. But Hudyma notes that as of January 1, 2009, there are no contracts or agreements between Russia and Ukraine. He says, therefore, the two countries have no legal obligations, which is why they need to sit down and sign contracts.
这位能源顾问同意乌克兰收取俄罗斯为天然气输送支付的现金，然后用这笔现金来购买俄罗斯的技术性天然气。不过，哈迪马还指出，从2009年1月1号起，俄罗斯和乌克兰之间就没有任何合同或者协议。他说，所以两国之间没有法律义务。这就是双方为什么需要坐下来签定合同的原因。
Contract negotiations between Ukraine and Russia broke off December 31 and have yet to resume. Delivery of Russian gas to Europe was completely cut off on January 7, with Kyiv and Moscow blaming one another for shutting the valves. Tuesday's resumption of delivery to Europe is not contingent upon any gas contracts between Russia and Ukraine.
乌克兰和俄罗斯之间的合同谈判在12月31号破裂，到现在也没有恢复。俄罗斯在一月7号彻底切断了给欧洲的天然气供应。基辅和莫斯科对此相互指责。星期二恢复给欧洲供气的行动并不以俄罗斯和乌克兰之间达成任何天然气合同为前提。
Experts say it will take about three days to re-pressurize the pipelines before Russian gas can finally reach Europe.
专家表示，输气管道的气压需要三天的时间才能够恢复起来，达到把俄罗斯的气体送往欧洲所需要的高度。 |