KIEV, Aug. 13 – Ukraine, citing a recently ratified free trade accord, will seek to get access to the Russian natural gas pipelines to start imports of gas from Central Asia, a senior official said Monday.

Valeriy Muntian, the government envoy for cooperation with Russia, the CIS, Eurasian Union, and other regional organizations, made the comment days after the free trade deal was signed by Yanukovych.

"We plan to start talks with Russia about lifting transit restrictions so that we can have access to Central Asian gas as the alternative,” Muntian said at a press conference. “The second issue is the lifting of export duties, especially those set by Russia on crude oil."