Russia to propose Gas OPEC Charter in Tehran

Moscow, Apr 22 (UNI) Russian proposals to create a 'Gas OPEC' will be scrutinised by the officials from gas-producing countries during a meeting in Tehran next week, business daily Kommersant reported today.

Energy officials representing member-countries will meet in Iran's capital on April 28, while ministers from these countries would meet here in June.

Russia wants 15 member-states of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum to adopt a Charter that would allow them to hammer out a universal pricing formula, coordinate construction of new pipelines and use spot deliveries to compensate for possible shortfalls in the long-term supply contracts, the paper quoted a government source as saying.

Russia's draft Charter has been prepared by the gas and oil major Gazprom and the Russian Industry and Energy Ministry, it said, pointing out that Russian proposals are less stringent than those proposed by Iran.

UNI XC SYU AS1838