KIEV, Cot. 31 - Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych on Wednesday rejected an almost 50% hike in gas prices recently suggested by Russia and gave the energy minister 10 days to negotiate an acceptable price.

Yanukovych said that Russia’s suggestion to hike the price to about $200 per 1,000 cubic meters in 2008 from $130/1,000 cu m in 2007 was “unacceptable.”