Energy Ministry, Gazprom issue new statements on long-awaited gas contracts with China
VLADIVOSTOK. Sept 12 (Interfax) - Russia has issued new statements on the outlook for signing new deals to supply gas to China via both the Far Eastern and Western routes.
Gazprom Deputy CEO Alexander Medvedev said at an Eastern Economic Forum panel in response to an appeal by the moderator for news on this matter that "we are rounding off our talks on the Far Eastern route and you will soon find out when supplies will begin."
Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak added: "Yesterday at talks between President Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader set the task of finalizing a contract on gas supplies via the Western route as quickly as possible. As you know, Gazprom and CNPC are holding talks regarding that route. All the technical terms have been agreed. There's just a little more to negotiate. And we're talking about around 30 billion cubic meters of gas. Well, we hope our colleagues will in the near future make every effort to secure an agreement between our leaders and sign a new contract."