OREANDA-NEWS. October 16, 2009. Headed by Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Company’s Management Committee, a Gazprom delegation today has paid a working visit to France.

During the visit Alexey Miller met with Pierre Gadonneix, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Electricite de France (EDF). The parties discussed the prospects for further cooperation in the energy sector, in particular, potential participation of EDF in the construction project for the submerged section of the South Stream gas pipeline.

The meeting participants emphasized the importance and expediency of executing this infrastructure project. Alexey Miller and Pierre Gadonneix expressed a unanimous opinion that South Stream would diversify the routes of natural gas supply to European consumers and make a substantial contribution to enhancing the energy security of the continent.

The constructive and friendly meeting resulted in the arrangements for preparing an appropriate agreement that could be signed before long.

Summarizing the meeting Alexey Miller noted: “Gazprom is interested in developing long-term mutually-beneficial multi-lateral cooperation with EDF, an acknowledged leader of the European energy market. South Stream, being a strategic project in terms of enhancing reliability and stability of natural gas supplies to Europe, will become the basis for this cooperation.”