KIEV, March 30 – President Viktor Yushchenko will shortly sign a special decree to speed up modernization of the Ukrainian natural gas pipeline network in line with a declaration approved by the European Union last week.

The draft decree was submitted to Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko for possible amendments, and is expected to be approved within 10 days, Oleksandr Shlapak, the first deputy chief of staff at Yushchenko’s office, said.