The Ukrainian and Polish sides have had negotiations as for possibility of widening of the Odesa-Brody oil pipeline farther to Plock and Gdansk in Poland, Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Minister Yuriy Boiko noted in Gdansk on Friday.

"Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych put forth this issue before the president and prime minister of Poland, and the Polish government's agencies concerned were informed to study to make a decision," he admitted while commenting the outcome of Yanukovych's state visit to Poland.

According to Boiko's words, in case of the launch of the second phase of the Baltic Pipeline System in October 2011, oil from the middle branch of the Druzhba oil pipeline will be partly transferred by Russia into that pipeline system.

In this case, the minister has proclaimed, the Polish side will have an opportunity to use Azerbaijani oil for pumping through the [Odesa-Brody] pipeline. "This is a serious possibility both for us and Poland," he emphasized.

The presidential bilateral talks also were focused on coordination of efforts to improve operation of both gas and oil pipelines in two countries.

"As we have similar problems around bypassing gas and oil pipelines, I believe that the visit has given a very serious impetus to cooperation of efforts to improve prospects for loading our countries' gas and oil pipelines," he said.

According to Nova Sarmatia, which is responsible for investing in extending the oil pipeline and was founded by five concerns from Poland, Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Lithuania, the Odesa-Brody-Plock-Gdansk is able to ship up to 40 million tonnes of crude oil per year from the Caspian area.