Czechs say energy security key EU presidency goal

By Jana Mlcochova

PRAGUE, Jan 6 (Reuters) - The Russia-Ukraine gas row shows the European Union needs a long-term energy security strategy, the Czech Republic said on Tuesday, making the issue one of its main tasks in its six-month stint as EU president.

Apart from issues like the war in Gaza, the EU presidency's focus will be on the global economic crisis, although Prague remained cool towards large fiscal stimulus packages endorsed by some EU states, a government minister said.

The Czechs, who have not yet ratified the EU's Lisbon Treaty, have a wobbly minority government and an openly eurosceptic president. They face some mistrust among EU partners after taking over the EU leadership from France on Jan. 1.

The energy focus aims to boost the bloc's energy security by having more diverse supplies, and Prague plans to discuss the issue at the spring EU summit in Brussels.

"The main issue is to find out what demand for energy commodities there is in Europe, because that is an area that requires certain long-term strategic planning," said Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra.

"The current situation regarding gas only confirms this," he told a news conference, presenting the country's EU agenda.

The Czech EU presidency and the European Commission called on Tuesday for an immediate resumption of gas supplies from Russia, hit by a row between Moscow and Kiev.

"Drastically curbing deliveries this way is no solution to business disputes. It is impossible to hold other countries hostage," Vondra said.