YALTA, Nov. 20 - The Ukrainian Ministry of Fuel and Energy, the Russian Energy Ministry in cooperation with Naftogaz Ukrayiny and Gazprom are to draft a new inter-governmental agreement on gas cooperation in the first half of 2010, according to a protocol signed by the Russian and Ukrainian prime ministers after a session of the bilateral committee on economic cooperation.

The protocol also compels the Ukrainian and Russian energy ministries to hold joint consultations with the government of the Republic of Tatarstan and concerned companies to stabilize the Ukrtatnafta situation and settle all the disputes.