Geneva yesterday hosted the 12th Meeting of the UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) Gas Centre Executive Board.

Present at the Meeting was a Gazprom delegation led by Mr. Stanislav Tsygankov, Chair of the UNECE Gas Centre Executive Board, Head of the Gazprom International Business Department.

The Meeting summed up the Gas Centre’s operating results over the past year and discussed a Program of activities for the upcoming period. In particular, the Program contemplates conducting in Orenburg, in May 2007 an International Science & Technology Conference themed “Developing Natural Gas Fields with Nonhydrocarbon Components” to be hosted by Orenburggazprom. The Meeting seconded the motion by Sonatrach to convene in Algeria, in June 2007 a regular high level thematic conference dedicated to the role of the Mediterranean Basin in prospective gas deliveries. The Meeting also agreed on the possibility of conducting in Moscow, in the 2nd half of 2007 a meeting of the Task Force on Gas Transportation and Tariffs, to be hosted by Gazprom.

The participants addressed steps aiming to further improve the Gas Centre’s Web site and information resources, and to exchange information among the member companies.

The Executive Board extended the term of office for Bureau Member Mr. Albin Rome (Geoplin d.o.o.Ljubljana) till January 2009.

Summing up the Meeting results, Mr. Stanislav Tsygankov underlined the significance of the Gas Centre’s economic activity with regard to addressing certain gas policy related issues and highlighted the importance of its analytical materials for corporate and public sector companies, research institutes and organizations. At Mr. Tsygankov’s suggestion prospective Task Forces of the Gas Centre will also focus on issues surrounding the gas transiting companies’ responsibility for reliable and uninterrupted gas supply under long-term agreements.