SIMFEROPOL, September 18. /ITAR-TASS/. Talks have stalled on delivering water from Ukraine to Crimea along the North Crimean Canal, says the chief of a committee overseeing supplies to the new Russian republic.

Ukraine halted flow from the Dnieper river through the canal to Crimea in April. But two months of preparing and submitting documents to Ukrainian authorities have brought no result, Crimea water economy committee chairman Igor Vail said speaking to reporters on Thursday.

“We have submitted four packages of documents which they [Ukraine] demand we should produce," he said. "All this lasted about two months. Finally, we were informed that this issue should be settled at the political level so they refused to work with us as an economic entity.”

Further talks on water supplies from the Dnieper to Crimea along the canal can be held only at interstate level, Vail said.

“Taking into account the situation of our partners in the neighbouring country, I believe that no talks can be in view,” he said, adding that “we do not drop this issue at all and hope that talks will continue. But probably these will be interstate.”

Much of the canal across Crimea was in working order, Vail said. Around 130 kilometres were used for water delivery from other sources and work contined to ensure flows were maintained during winter months.