Gazprom’s delegation headed by Alexey Miller, the Company’s Management Committee Chairman paid today a working visit to Belarus. Alexander Ananenkov, Deputy Chairman of Gazprom’s Management Committee also was member to the delegation. The business trip was undertaken within the frames of the Program of activities scheduled for the occasion of the meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Russia-Belarus Union State.

Alexey Miller took part in the meetings between Mikhail Fradkov, the RF Prime Minister and Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus’ President as well as in the meeting with Sergey Sidorsky, Belarus’ Prime Minister. The parties addressed topical issues related to Russia and Belarus’ relationships in the gas industry.

Alexey Miller and Alexander Ryazanov held negotiations with Vladimir Semashko, Belarus’ First Deputy Premier and Pyotr Piotuch, Beltransgaz’ Director General. The parties coordinated the terms and conditions of natural gas deliveries to and transit via Belarus in 2004.

After finalizing the talks, Gazprom and Beltransgaz signed a gas marketing and transit Contract in the presence of Mikhail Fradkov and Sergey Sidorsky.

Under the Contract, in 2004, Gazprom will provide Belarus with 10.2 bcm of gas at the price of USD 46.68 per 1,000 cubic meters. The gas transmission tariff will account for USD 0.75 per 1,000 cubic meters for delivering gas via Beltransgaz-owned networks and USD 0.46 per 1,000 cubic meters for transporting gas by the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline.

On signing the Contracts, Alexey Miller stated that “we’re fully satisfied with the agreements achieved and pleased that our cooperation with Beltransgaz is entering an absolutely new phase. We’ll continue negotiating the incorporation of a joint venture within Beltransgaz.”

Reference:

Until now, Gazprom and Beltransgaz haven’t managed to sign a gas marketing contract for 2004.

In consequence, Russian gas has been delivered this year to Belarusian consumers by the independent gas suppliers: Trans Nafta, ITERA and Sibur.

In 2004, some 32 bcm of gas are planned to be transited via Belarus, including 23.0 bcm to be delivered by the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline.

DIVISION OF RELATIONS WITH MASS MEDIA