After days of tough diplomacy, Hungary has started a diplomatic offensive as the country considers it unacceptable that European gas consumers should be the victims of a trade dispute between Russia and Ukraine, Foreign Ministry state secretary Mária Fekszi told MTI on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány sent letters to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko and Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on Tuesday, Fekszi said. The letter was also sent to Mirek Topolanek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, which currently holds the EU's revolving presidency, and European Commission President Manuel Barroso.

On Monday, Ukraine reduced gas deliveries to Hungary by 8 million cubic meters from the 38 million cubic meters stipulated in its supply contract. The reduction followed a cut of Russia's gas deliveries to Europe via Ukraine because of a row over prices. Many other European countries saw their gas deliveries via Ukraine fall as well.

Details of the diplomatic steps Hungary is taking will not be revealed for one or two days so as not to endanger the success of talks, Fekszi said.

Fekszi, advisor to the prime minister on foreign affairs Károly Banai and energy affairs minister Csaba Molnár agreed on the steps of the diplomatic offensive on Tuesday. The stand of the Hungarian government was also decided at the meeting.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Kinga Göncz will take Hungary's position and a proposal on a European action plan to an informal meeting of EU ministers in Prague on Thursday. The document, with the government's stand and its proposal, will be sent on Tuesday to Topolanek and Barroso, and to Hungary's ambassadors in all of the other EU member states, as well as its ambassadors in Kiev and Moscow. The ambassadors are expected to report on the stand on Hungary's initiative of the countries they are in by noon on Wednesday.

Hungary will propose inviting Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Macedonia to the meeting in Prague on Thursday.

Hungarian diplomats are meeting with their Ukrainian and Russian counterparts in Budapest, and they are holding talks on Hungary's stand in Brussels too.

Based on existing inter-government agreements, Hungary will call a meeting of the energy sub-committee of the Hungarian-Russian mixed economic committee and of the Hungarian-Ukrainian mixed economic committee, Fekszi said. This process could take some time, she added.

Hungary will inform Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina of gas delivery volume it is receiving from Ukraine, in line with standard diplomatic practice.

About 10 million cubic meters of gas delivered to Hungary from Russia via Ukraine is transit gas bound for the two countries. (MTI – Econews)