A working meeting between Alexey Miller, Gazprom’s Management Committee Chairman, and Anatoly Guzhvin, Governor of the Astrakhan Region, was held today at Gazprom’s Headquarters.

The parties discussed implementation of the Cooperation Agreement signed between Gazprom and the Astrakhan Region. In particular, the parties considered expansion of Gazprom’s regional resource and production bases, tax payments (to be) made to the regional budget on the part of the Company’s affiliates operating in the Astrakhan Region and establishment of a united gas-distribution organization. As it was pointed out, the projected promotion of gas processing business in the Astrakhan Region would allow to additionally create several thousand new jobs and to raise the output of the Astrakhan gas complex by 30%.

The parties also focussed on the present-day situation with the consumers’ payments for gas supplied, Gazprom’s backing of regional social facilities and re-settlement of residents living in the sanitary protection zone of the Astrakhan gas chemical complex.

A Miller and A. Guzhvin achieved an accord that Gazprom would award 10 grants for the most gifted school graduates of the Astrakhan Region to study at higher education institutions.

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For the time being, Gazprom and the Astrakhan Region’s authorities are building their relationship based on the Cooperation Agreement signed on 28 November 2000.

In 2003 Gazprom delivered over 1.8 bcm of gas to the Astrakhan Region, to be increased to over 2 bcm this year.

Gas deliveries to the Astrakhan Region account for 88.3% against Russia-averaged of 52.7%.

Gazprom’s Capital Investment Plan for 2004 envisages RUR 88.2 million being allocated for completing the construction and ensuring the commissioning of the Leninsk – Znamensk – Akhtubinsk gas pipeline.

This year, Gazprom plans to channel RUR 88.4 million to construct gas-distribution networks in the Region.

As of 1 February 2004, the Astrakhan Region’s indebtedness to Gazprom for gas supplied totaled RUR 267.2 million.

Astrakhangazprom, a 100% Gazprom’s subsidiary, is carrying on business in the Astrakhan Region. The company’s major business lines are hydrocarbon recovery and processing. In 2003 Astrakhangazprom produced 11.4 bcm of gas and 4 million tons of gas condensate.

Astrakhangazprom comprises the Astrakhan gas chemical complex.

In 2003 Astrakhangazprom channeled over RUR 2.6 billion in tax payments to the regional and local budgets of the Astrakhan Region, which is RUR 779 million more than targeted. The rise was driven by higher than projected profitability. Astrakhangazprom is expected to cut tax payments to the regional budget by RUR 27 million, due to the alterations to be made to the tax code and re-evaluation of Gazprom’s main assets, targeted for the current year.

The 8-km territory of the Astrakhan gas condensate complex was inhabited before 2001 by 716 families of Astrakhangazprom’s employees and 1059 families of local residents, registered there before January 1, 1992.

In 2001-1006, Gazprom participated in financing house building, under the Program on phase-by-phase housing construction for re-settling the inhabitants of the sanitary protection zone of the Astrakhan gas chemical complex. In 2001-2003, 923 families were re-settled from the sanitary protection zone, including over 250 families of Astrakhangazprom’s employees.

DIVISION OF RELATIONS WITH MASS MEDIA