An ordinary meeting of Gazprom’s Regional Policy Commission chaired by Alexander Ryazanov, Deputy Chairman of Gazprom’s Management Committee, was held yesterday at Gazprom’s Headquarters.

The Commission members considered the results of implementing Gazprom’s 2003 Program on gas deliveries to the RF regions. The parties pointed out that the Program had been fully completed and Gazprom laid over 1700 km of gas pipelines in 2003.

The Commission analyzed Gazprom’s 2004 Program on gas deliveries to the RF regions. This year, the Company plans to allocate over RUR 2.9 billion to deliver gas to 38 Russian regions.

The Commission members pointed out that in selecting priority facilities to be included in the Program, the Commission took into account criteria proposed by Gazprom’s relevant departments and approved by the Regional Policy Commission.

At the same time, the Commission members paid special attention to elaborating cost reduction mechanisms for constructing gas transportation systems, to taking measures on rational loading of existing and new gas pipelines as well as to raising the efficiency of natural gas utilization.

The Commission members also discussed and approved proposals to amend the existing Rules of gas supplies within the Russian Federation, approved by the RF Government’s Order N162 dated February 5, 1998. The Rules were elaborated in 1996-1997 and, at present, should be brought in line with the present RF legislation.

The Commission ordered Gazprom’s relevant departments to keep on elaborating proposals to be submitted for the RF Government’s approval.

DIVISION OF RELATIONS WITH MASS MEDIA