Today, Alexey Miller, JSC Gazprom’s Management Committee Chairman and Jean-Francois Cirelli, Gaz de France’s President met in Paris on the occasion of a 30-year anniversary of signing first export contracts between the companies.

Within so far 30 years Gazprom and Gaz de France have been developing commercial partnership ties and providing reliable natural gas supplies to French and European customers. Currently, 12 bcm of gas, which is some 25 percent of overall amount imported by Gaz de France, is being delivered to France under long-term contracts sealed between Gazprom and its French counterpart.

On emphasizing a high level of cooperation achieved by the firms in the gas sector, the parties expressed their intention to launch a new phase of partnership businesses. To this end, Gazprom’s Management Committee Chairman and Gaz de France’s President signed a Protocol outlining top priority joint activities aiming to promote bilateral relations. In particular, given the initiation of the North-European gas pipeline construction, the parties agreed to continue joint endeavors targeted at boosting the amount and safety & security of gas supply to the European market.

Gazprom and Gaz de France’s leaders exchanged opinions on new horizons opening in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) production & marketing sector playing an each time more significant role in the energy market, and tasked their pertinent business units to develop joint projects.

Cooperation between the companies in the gas supply sector has been traditionally accompanied by partnership ties in a whole range of areas covering staff training and swaps, environmental protection through higher industrial energy efficiency, sponsorship support of sporting and cultural events, etc.

On the occasion of the 30-year anniversary of collaboration, Gazprom and Gaz de France have jointly acted as general sponsors of the Quest for Identity: Russian Art in the Second Half of the 19th Century exhibition inaugurated today in the Mus?e d’Orsay, with Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, French Culture & Communication Minister, and Russian and French first ladies Mrs. Lyudmila Putin and Mrs. Bernadette Chirac in attendance.

“Today we’re marking a 30-year anniversary of partnership relations with our reliable Russian counterpart Gazprom. I’ am glad that our collaboration is progressing ahead and is enriched with new projects contributing to our companies’ business expansion in Europe”, - stressed Jean-Francois Cirelli.

“We highly appreciate the outcome of our longtime cooperation with Gaz de France and look forward to deepening the partnership ties and implementing new joint projects”, - said Alexey Miller.

Reference:

Gaz de France is a prominent European natural gas company. On 1 September 2005, Gaz de France’s shares were included in the CAC 40 index of the Paris Stock Exchange.

Gaz de France is an integrated firm holding strong positions along the entire gas chain including exploration and production, power acquisition and marketing, transmission and underground storage, distribution and energy services.

As of 31 December 2004, Gaz de France’s highlights in Europe are as follows:

 - Gaz de France is operator of the longest (30,000 km) gas transmission network in France;

 - is Europe’s second-largest company in terms of end-user portfolio: some 12.3 mln industrial and individual customers, 10.9 mln in France inclusive;

 - is operator of Europe’s second-longest (175,000 km) gas pipeline network carrying gas to 76 percent of France’s population;

 - is the second-biggest European operator of natural gas regasification terminals with some 17 bcm in overall capacity;

 - is Europe’s second-largest operator of UGS facilities with the total active capacity averaging 9 bcm;

 - is the third-biggest company in Europe in terms of natural gas procurement.

Gaz de France is running its business through more than 30 locations worldwide.

Over 2004, the company’s turnover totaled EUR 18,129 mln and net profit amounted to EUR 1,046 mln, which is 15 percent more versus the same period in 2003. 29 percent of Gaz de France’s turnover stems from international activities.

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