Gazprom To Buy Into Slovak Gas Company

OAO Gazprom will take part in the privatisation of the Slovak Gas Company, RIA Novosti was told at Gazprom on Tuesday. It was noted that the company would make its final bid for the tender not later than December 10, 2001. Monday's meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Slovakia's President Rudolf Schuster was attended by Gazprom chief Alexei Miller. Following the meeting Miller had talks with Slovakia's Privatisation Minister Maria Machova. Among questions discussed during the negotiations, special attention was given to Gazprom's participation in the privatisation of the Slovak gas company. The Slovak gas transporting system is used to supply Russian gas to the European market and is only second to the Ukrainian system in transit terms. The fact that Gazprom is going to buy into the Slovak company is of strategic significance for the two countries and will guarantee gas supplies in the future both for Slovakia and for other European countries," Miller said at the conclusion of the talks.