Gazprom Proposes Holding International Conference to Liberalize European Gas Market

Alexei Miller, chairman of the board of the OAO Gazprom gas company, has proposed holding an international conference on the liberalization of the European gas market.

Appearing at a session of the presidium of the European Business Congress in Moscow on Friday, its president Miller noted that such a conference could be held within the framework of a regular general meeting of the congress, slated for June 19 through 20 in Moscow.

"Today the European Business Congress is for a qualitatively new stage of work, related to the deepening of integration processes in Europe, formation of the all-European economic space, and stage-wise liberalization of the energy markets of the European Community and Russia", said Miller.

The European Business Congress, whose founding congress was held in Bonn in 1997, unites 75 companies from 20 countries-members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, inluding such large corporations and banks as ExxonMobil, DaimlerChrysler, Simens, Gazprom, Deutche Bank, Dresdner Bank, Alcatel, Wintershall, Ruhrgas, Gas de France, ENI, Fortum.

Although the congress does not tackle the implementation of commercial projects, one of its main activities is the preparation of proposals to eliminate obstacles for economic cooperation in Europe and the creation of favourable conditions for efficient and safe conduct of business activities.

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