Patel attends G-8 energy ministers summit in Moscow

Moscow, Mar 16: Minister of state for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dinsha Patel, participating in the plenary meeting of the G-8 energy ministers here, is expected to hold talks with Russian Minister of Energy and Industry Viktor Khristenko on the prospects of energy cooperation between the two countries.

Meetings with the top officials of Russian oil majors are also on the cards to explore the possibility of ONGC and Indian Oil acquiring stakes in Russian oil and gas companies.

Global demand for energy, ecological issues, dialogue between energy producers and consumers and investments in the energy sector are high on the agenda.

Mr Khristenko has invited his counterparts from India, China, Mexico, Brazil and South Africa for the two-day meeting.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to meet G-8 energy ministers in the Kremlin later today to discuss energy security and stability in the global energy sector.

Russia has declared energy security as a priority issue for the summit of the G-8 leaders to be held, for the first time under the Russian presidency, on July 15-17, in St.Petersburg.

At a meeting of the G-8 finance ministers in Moscow last month, Mr Putin had said the energy sector was a dominant factor in global security and socio-economic development and energy resources should be available on a fair basis to all countries.

UNI