The city of Oran (Algeria) hosted today the 10th Ministerial Meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF).

The meeting discussed a number of the issues significant to the GECF operation including the program of work for the GECF secretariat, the GECF image policy and the development prospects for international gas markets until 2015.

Led by Stanislav Tsygankov, Head of the Gazprom International Business Department, the Russian delegation at the Forum was composed of the Company’s representatives.

Within the Forum, the Russian delegation leaders also had a number of bilateral meetings with the ministers of the major gas producing and exporting countries.

The Forum participants emphasized that owing to the financial and economic crisis, the key gas markets, the European market first of all, had to face lately the unprecedented excess of supply over demand, which called for a more consistent coordination of efforts in order to ensure the predictability of gas prices and investors’ confidence in steady development of the gas market.

In parallel with the Forum, the LNG 16 International Conference and Exhibition was commenced in Oran on all aspects of liquefied natural gas production, transportation and marketing.