PRAGUE (AFP)--The European Union's Czech presidency on Saturday downplayed European fears of a fallout from the gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine, despite shortfalls reported by several European states.
"There is no reason for being insecure over the future deliveries, there is no reason for concern," Czech Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Vondra told reporters after talks in Prague with Alexander Medvedev, deputy head of Russian energy giant Gazprom.
"We expect to send a group of specialists next week," Vondra added, refusing to specify where they would go.
Vaclav Bartuska, Prague's special envoy on energy problems, said E.U. approval was first needed for the mission.
Vondra's remarks came after Bulgaria, Poland and Romania have all reported shortfalls in Russian gas being piped through Ukraine, after Moscow cut off all gas supplies to neighboring Kiev.
For its part, Ukraine warned the E.U. Saturday that it could face "serious problems" within 10 days with Russian gas deliveries transiting its territory.
Around a quarter of the gas used in the E.U. - more than 40% of the bloc's imports - comes from Russia, most of it pumped through Ukraine via a Soviet-built pipeline network.
"Russia and Ukraine must (resolve the dispute) quickly, there is no other way to solve the conflict," said Vondra, whose country took over the rotating E.U. presidency on Thursday.
"We refuse to be part of this dispute," he added, saying the E.U. was only interested in having its gas contract respected.
The Czech presidency has called for an extraordinary E.U. meeting in Brussels Monday to discuss the matter.
Vondra, who also met with a Ukrainian delegation on Friday, said Prague would inform the E.U.'s 26 other member states about the negotiations and propose solutions.
Possible options, he said, could include diversifying gas transit routes that do not include Ukraine, either via the Nord Stream pipeline project - that is to run gas under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany - or South Stream, aimed to bring gas across the Black Sea to southern Europe.
Both projects face construction delays and other problems.
Other options include diversifying gas suppliers and installing measuring stations on the Russia-Ukraine border and Kiev's border with the E.U., Vondra said.
E.U. foreign ministers will also discuss the gas dispute during an informal meeting in Prague on Thursday.