Brussels/Prague - Ukraine and Russia remained at loggerheads Thursday over the deployment of international experts to monitor gas flows through Ukraine, European Union officials said.

While both sides have agreed that international monitors could play a role in solving the standoff which has crippled gas supplies to Europe, officials said that no final agreement on a mission had been reached during talks in Brussels.

Prague - The European Union sees a "reasonable" chance for Russian natural gas to soon resume flowing via Ukraine to the 27- member bloc, a Czech official said Thursday.

"I think we can have some reasonable hope in a quick resolution for what is the most urgent need and that is to resume the gas flows," said Czech Vice-Premier for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra before a meeting of EU foreign ministers.

The Czech Republic presides over the EU until June 30.

Prague - Greenpeace activists Wednesday briefly flew an EU flag at the Czech president's official Prague Castle residence, where current occupant President Vaclav Klaus has been refusing to do so.

An activist partially climbed a flagpole and unfurled the flag for about 10 minutes shortly before Klaus, an outspoken EU critic, hosted the bloc's executive, the European Commission.

Prague  - The Czech Republic's natural gas deliveries dropped for the second day Monday as a gas row between Russia and Ukraine continued, a gas importer said.

Martin Chalupsky, a spokesman for the country's leading gas importer, RWE Transgas, said the firm on Monday received 9.5 per cent less gas than ordered for the day.

He said that the drop amounted to 1.7 million cubic metres of gas, or 2 per cent of country's daily consumption. He said the reduction would have no impact on Czech consumers.

Prague - The Czech EU presidency spokesman will not be fired for calling Israel's ground assault on Gaza "defensive" on Saturday in a statement that outraged the Arab world, Prague said Monday.

Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said the spokesman's statement was "wrong" and at odds with the Czech Republic's and presidency's stance. But he also said that he would not accept his aide's resignation.