Russian president to make proposals to Caspian littoral states' leaders

The head of state said he intends to discuss these issues with the leaders of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan at an informal summit to take place later this week.

"If you support this idea, I will discuss it with my counterparts during a meeting this week and ask them to think over developing such cooperation for the medium and long term within legal framework, developed by, for example, the government, so that cooperation will be full and long-term," Medvedev said during a working meeting with Gazprom Director Alexei Miller.

"Regarding establishing our relationships, a clear legal regulation is required not only at the level of relations between companies and economic relations, but also at the level of state regulation," Medvedev said.

Miller informed him that Gazprom has had a positive experience working with Caspian region companies. "But basically, this cooperation has been built on the basis of commercial contracts," he said.

"In the medium and long term, Gazprom's cooperation with Caspian companies must be based on a comprehensive approach to the understanding that it is not just a contract for the purchase of gas, but also production, transportation and gas processing," he said.

"Therefore, I find it totally appropriate that co-operation be built on the basis of an intergovernmental agreement for the medium and long term," Gazprom director said.

/Trend News/