MOSCOW. Jan 6 (Interfax) - Naftogaz Ukrainy, the Ukrainian national energy trader, wants a new long-term contract with the Russian gas monopoly Gazprom on the transit of Russian gas to Europe, Naftogaz spokesman Valentyn Zemlyansky said on Echo Moskvy radio on Tuesday.

"Several contracts now exist. Russia first referred to a 2006 contract, and the last letter we received from Gazprom referred to a 2002 contract," Zemlyansky said.

Gazprom has repeatedly stated of late that the terms and conditions of gas transit to Europe through Ukraine cannot be subject to negotiations, because the effective gas transit contract will expire only at the end of 2010.

"Regardless of the legal conflicts, [Ukraine] is transiting the volume of gas coming to the country," Zemlyansky said. "We are now using our own reserves as technical gas [gas used as fuel to pump export gas through the pipeline system]. The 21 million cubic meters necessary for this purpose are now Ukraine's reserves, which will be used to transit Russian gas, although we don't have to do so under any contract," he said.

"We don't see fit to stop transit, because we understand Gazprom's commitments to Europe, and we understand our commitments to both Gazprom and Europe," Zemlyansky said.

"We proposed to Gazprom that the prices effective in 2008 be preserved for ten days or for a month [in 2009] and calmly hold negotiations, but this proposal was rejected," he said.