France and Italy May Joint International Gas Consortium

France and Italy may soon be drawn into the work of the International Gas Consortium, according to an announcement made yesterday at a press conference by Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma. According to Rosbalt's correspondent, the Ukrainian President said that Paris and Rome have already displayed a high level of interest in the consortium's prospects.

A trilateral meeting of Ukrainian, Russian, and German officials was supposed to take place yesterday in Kiev to discuss Germany's entry in the consortium. However, the meeting was postponed to an unspecified date.