2005 – year of the digital citizen?

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1. I am Russian, formerly from Moscow but now living in the US. I was not very surprised to read your perspective on the recent gas crisis in Ukraine. Your reaction and bias is typical of the Western media. What really hit me was the fact that your media is placing the sole responsibility on Russia. I don’t have enough words to express my feelings to that fact. I feel as though you are reporting some of the facts and not all of the fact which completely turns what is happening around. To read what is written in the United States, it appears as if Russia placed some type of ultimatum on Ukraine with little or no warning. The fact is that Russia first approached the Ukrainian government in March 2005. All of the negotiations, political and other, were not taken seriously by the Ukrainians. The Ukraine government wanted to start paying world market prices for Russian gas yet had no political infrastructure to properly determine how and when this was to be accomplished. Within the last several days, Gasprom had generously made a few different offers to Ukraine, one of which offered a credit of 3.6 billion dollars to phase in the new price of the gas with little effect on the Ukrainian economy. Most recently, Gasprom offered to sell Ukraine gas for 50$ per 1000 cubic meters of gas until April if Ukraine signed a contract by January 1. By doing this, the Ukrainian economy would not have taken such an abrupt hit. Both offers were not accepted by Ukraine and Gasprom did just as they said they would do (shut the gas to Ukraine off) yet the Western press is chastising them for it. During the negotiations, Ukraine pulled out without signing any contractual agreements and merely refused to sign anything because they thought the price was not acceptable. In the World Market Place, goods and services are offered and sold based on supply and demand. I believe that Ukraine government has mistaken themselves for Priceline; they cannot just name the price they are willing to pay for a product and expect to pay it. Some arguments that sounded from the western media about prices for other ex-republics looks like a try to make things seem different then they are. Belarus is paying 46$ for 1000 c/m because of two reasons: 1. The pipeline that goes through the territory belongs to Gasprom. 2. Belarus and Russia are building a stronger economy together by uniting economic currency and efforts of both countries. Because both countries are working together to strengthen their local economies, Belarus is paying less perhaps, than other countries. Georgia is purchasing gas for 110$ because Gasprom will be signing an agreement to lease the pipeline from Georgia for a 25 year period which will drastically reduce costs for gas transportation. Ukraine was recognized as a country with a market economy and can afford to pay the same money as everyone else on the world market. Something that I have not read in the Western press, past or recent is the fact that Ukraine was purchasing gas from Russia for 50$ per 1000 cubic meters but then turned and sold that same gas to Romania for 260$ resulting in a 210$ profit (not bad?). The question remains as to why Ukrainian gas companies are profiting off of gas sold to them solely for the citizens of Ukraine, resulting in lost profits to Russia gas companies in addition to accrued taxes on those profits that would have been put back into the Russian economy. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission would be all over a situation like this but is anybody here aware of this situation?? Ukraine has done nothing but play political games and openly lie to the world about what has already occurred and what is currently happening. Ukraine has known for quite some time about the increase in prices to Russian gas but the world sees as it as Russia trying to be Imperial or above everybody else which is not the case. They have a product which is in great demand and the rest of the world is paying fair market value for it. I think that the what the Ukrainian government is doing is merely a political ploy for Yzhenko to obtain more votes for his party in the upcoming elections in March to gain seats in their government house by making an enemy from Russia and appearing to stand up for Ukraine in front of the world. If Ukraine is trying to integrate into the world society as a
   civilized country, they have to play by rules. Try to come to any store and tell to the owner that you would like to purchase a certain item four times less then it costs and if you will not sell it at that lower price, the item will be stolen from your shop. That is what Ukraine has done with the gas issue at hand and has attempted to blackmail Russia but to now avail. What is worse is that several hundreds of thousands of people are affected by Yzhenko’s incompetence. This is a very cold winter all over Europe. There are people who need gas to heat their homes and run their businesses yet gas that their countries pay for is being stolen by Ukraine. The people of Ukraine will suffer because they themselves will run out of gas because their government didn’t act in the best interest of Ukraine. In the recent tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, what would have happened if the US stole crude oil from other countries?? What did happen during that time? Prices reached a record high and a gallon of gas was over 5$ when it was below 2$ a gallon prior to the hurricane. It may hurt economically, but the US played by the rules. Why would the Western media portray Ukraine government as such a victim instead of incompetent fools? All of this information I have written is documented and can be corroborated. It would be interesting to see some truth in the media, at least once.
   Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

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