OREANDA-NEWS. September 08, 2009. There were three main items on the agenda: Gazprom’s operation priorities in Russia, gas consumer payments in Belarus and Ukraine, and gas-sector cooperation in the Caspian region.

Mr Miller briefed the President on the company’s investment programme, in particular on the Nord Stream and South Stream pipeline projects, new gas fields, and the priority programme for connecting Russia’s regions to the gas network. The President said that particular focus should be on getting rural areas connected to the gas supply.

Mr Miller reported on the situation with Belarus’ debts for gas supplied by Gazprom, and also on relations with the company’s Ukrainian partners, who are raising the issue of advance payment for transit of Russian gas via Ukraine. Mr Miller said that, by way of assistance to Ukraine, the company made advance payment for gas transit through to the first quarter of 2010, though this was not stipulated by the contract. Mr Medvedev recommended that in relations with Ukraine, Gazprom should keep to the terms of the contract concluded.

The President said that at his upcoming meeting with the leaders of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan he would discuss the prospects for medium- and long-term gas-sector cooperation in the Caspian region on the basis of intergovernmental agreements.