KIEV, Sept. 16 - Ukraine will use its natural gas pipeline for exports of its own shale gas and methane to the European Union within the next 7 to 10 years, Energy Minister Yuriy Boyko said.

Boyko, in a television interview on Saturday, disagreed with earlier comments from Prime Minister Mykola Azarov that Ukraine may be forced to dismantle its gas pipelines if Russia keeps building Europe-bound pipelines bypassing Ukraine.