VIENNA, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Austrian Economy Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner on Thursday called for a "reasonably negotiated solution" to the crisis in Ukraine's southern Crimea autonomous republic.

　　Russia's arguments on their actions concerning Ukraine must be listened to, and the dialogue must include the seizure of power in Kiev, he said in an interview with ORF's ZIB 2 program.

　　Another important issue was the Feb. 21 agreement between ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, Ukrainian opposition leaders, and the European Union (EU) mediators, which had failed, he said.

　　The mostly Russian-speaking Crimea became the epicenter of the ongoing crisis. Armed men carrying Russian navy flags took control of local parliament and government buildings and two airports in the Crimean capital of Simferopol after pro-Russian President Yanukovych was ousted on Feb. 22 in what Russia called a coup.

　　Mitterlehner described the symbolic measures adopted at a special EU summit in Brussels Thursday as appropriate in dealing with Moscow, adding immediate sanctions would only trigger retaliation from Russia.

　　With regard to gas supply to Austria from Ukraine, Mitterlehner said even in a worst-case conflict between the EU and Russia, Austria has gas reserves for three months. Efforts are already under way to diversify gas sources, he added.