From 19 to 20 May, the city of Constanta (Romania) hosted the 12th annual Meeting of gas dispatching agencies dealing with Russian natural gas transit and distribution in the Ukraine, Moldova, the Balkans and Turkey.

The Meeting was attended by representatives of the following companies: Gazprom, Gazexport, Ukrtransgaz (a subsidiary of Naftogaz of Ukraine), Moldovagaz (Moldova), Transgaz (Romania), Bulgargaz (Bulgaria), Botas (Turkey), DEPA (Greece) and Makpetrol AD (Macedonia).

Gazprom's delegation was headed by Boris Posyagin, Head of the Company's Central Dispatch Management Center (CDMC). In addressing the Meeting, B. Posyagin outlined successful operation of the Russian United Gas Transmission System within the 2003-2004 autumn-winter heating season. "A well coordinated functioning of the UGTS facilities enabled Gazprom to provide full-scale gas deliveries to the Ukraine, Moldova, the Balkans and Turkey," - B. Posyagin was qouted as saying.

The Meeting heard reports on the current technical condition and operating results of the Balkans gas transmission system over 2003 and the 1st quarter of 2004. The participants discussed issues of interaction indispensible in arranging for gas deliveries as well as analyzed the progress in fulfilling contractual obligations, effecting scheduled preventive repairs and comissioning new gas transmission facilities.

As it was pointed out, the Balkans region and Turkey had received uninterrupted gas deliveries over 2003 and in the 1st quarter of 2004. This was achieved due to the coordinated activities of gas dispatching centers in all the countries involved and due to the completion of a larger scope of works aimed at developing the Bulgarian and Romanian gas transmission systems.

The Meeting highlighted the necessity to provide Greece with uninterrupted gas supplies over the period of the Olympic Games to be held in this country in the summer of 2004.

At the same time, the Meeting paid special attention to the issue of establishing informational interaction between the parties while effecting gas deliveries. In particular, the participants pointed out that Gazprom kept on introducing the EDIGAS Electronic Protocol (first used in 2000) ensuring optimized sharing of information among gas dispatching agencies. The parties expressed a common opinion about the need to use EDIGAS in supplying gas to the Balkans and Turkey.

To improve interaction between dispatchers, the CDMC and Promgaz, guiding by the resolution adopted at the previous gas dispatchers' Meeting, devised and demonstrated an integrated and technological Scheme of Russian gas transit, combining schemes elaborated by different gas transiting countries. The Scheme includes standardized names and geographical definitions of the gas transmission system facilities, thus, facilitating a more coordinated and prompt interaction between gas dispatching agencies.

Representatives of dispatching agencies pointed out that these meetings spurred close business cooperation between all the parties involved and confirmed the expediency to hold joint annual meetings shortly after the autumn-winter heating season, with the view of sharing information and identifying targets to be set for the consecutive period.

The Meeting signed a Protocol stipulating main principles of prompt interaction between gas dispatching agencies while effecting gas deliveries in 2004. The Document aims at ensuring uninterrupted gas deliveries to the Balkans region, pursuant to the existing long-term contracts concluded between Gazprom and foreign businesses.

DIVISION OF RELATIONS WITH MASS MEDIA