Putin and Yushchenko confirm deal to end gas dispute

(12 Feb 2008)
1. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko walking in for meeting with officials, pan of Putin sitting down
2. Cutaway of assembled media and officials
3. Mid of Yushchenko
4. Mid of Putin talking
5. Cutaway of hands
6. Mid of Yushchenko talking
7. Wide of meeting
8. Cutaway of officials and cameras
9. Wide of Yushchenko and Putin walking in for joint news conference
10. Wide of Yushchenko and Putin sitting down
11. Mid of Putin
12. Yushchenko and Putin seated
13. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Vladimir Putin, Russian President:
"Today's problem is connected, among others reasons, with the harsh weather conditions our partners in Central Asia found themselves in, yet we have worked out a common scheme to work with for the immediate future. Today we have heard from our partners that they will start paying out debts, and we also agreed upon principles of cooperation for the year 2008 and for coming years."
14. Cutaway of officials and assembled media listening to news conference
15. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Viktor Yushchenko, Ukrainian President: (includes various cutaways)
"We act on the presumption that the calculations for the year 2008 are based on the prices of 2007. The payment is to start next Thursday and it will be done in the nearest future. As far as the deliveries in 2008, we agreed that the price for oil entering (Ukraine) will be retained, 179 US dollars, and will be retained by others with contracts."
16. Cutaway of audience
17. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Vladimir Putin, Russian President: (includes various cutaways)
"Not only to talk about it, it is scary even to think about it, that in response to such (NATO) deployment, possible deployment of such installations on Ukrainian territory - and theoretically such deployment cannot be excluded - Russia will have to aim its missile systems at Ukraine. Can you imagine it, for only a second? This is what worries us."
18. Wide of Putin and Yushchenko leaving after news conference
STORYLINE:
Russia could point nuclear missiles at Ukraine if the former Soviet republic joins NATO and accepts the deployment of anti-missile defences on its territory, President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a news conference with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, Putin said that Ukraine's aspirations to join NATO would restrict its sovereignty.
"Not only to talk about it, it is scary even to think about it, that in response to such (NATO) deployment, possible deployment of such installations on Ukrainian territory - and theoretically such deployment cannot be excluded - Russia will have to aim its missile systems at Ukraine," Putin said, following a meeting with Yushchenko at the Kremlin.
"Can you imagine it, for only a second? This is what worries us," Putin added.
Yushchenko responded by saying that Ukraine has the right to form its own foreign and defence policies, and noted that the Ukrainian constitution does not allow for the deployment of foreign bases on its territory.
The Russian and Ukrainian leaders also said they had reached a deal to settle Ukraine's gas debt, avoiding a threatened cutoff in supplies that had rattled consumers in the European Union.
Putin and Yushchenko, said they negotiated a settlement of Ukraine's debt and agreed on terms for gas supplies later this year.
"We act on the presumption that the calculations for the year 2008 are based on the prices of 2007. The payment is to start next Thursday," Yushchenko said at the news conference after the Kremlin talks, which lasted for four hours.

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