KIEV, Feb 20, SPA -- Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenkoheads for talks in Moscow on Wednesday, including a meeting withKremlin leader Vladimir Putin, Reuters quoted her office as saying, a week afterUkraine clinched a deal to avoid a cut in Russian gas supplies. Gas rows between Ukraine and Russia, which supplies aquarter of Europe's gas needs, have been a big issue since adispute between the two states disrupted export in January 2006. The government press service said Tymoshenko's programmeduring the two-day visit included a meeting with the Russianpresident as well as with Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov. There was no immediate confirmation from the Kremlin. Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko met Putin last weekand clinched a last-minute deal to settle payment of Ukrainianarrears for gas supplies and, over time, to eliminateintermediaries in the gas trade. Tymoshenko stood alongside President Viktor Yushchenko inthe 2004 pro-Western "Orange Revolution" that swept him to powerbut was fired seven months after her appointment as premier. Shereturned to the job last December after a snap election. State gas and oil company Naftogaz said its chairman, OlehDubyna, would head a delegation accompanying the premier todiscuss debts and details of gas shipment and distribution. Naftogaz said on Wednesday it had paid a second tranche ofarrears of $178 million. Russian gas export monopoly Gazpromputs the total at $1.5 billion. Tymoshenko hailed last week's deal as a "great victory" forUkraine and said it would eliminate "shadowy schemes." Yushchenko is due back in Moscow this week for a summit ofleaders of ex-Soviet states. Russian and Ukrainian state energyfirms have produced conflicting statements following theagreement, which means final details have yet to be agreed. --SPA www.spa.gov.sa/528750