RusEnergy

03-23-2006 FinAmRus.com - Russian president Vladimir Putin told reporters in Beijing that a gas supply agreement signed by Gazprom and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) provides for the delivery of gas from both Western and Eastern Siberia. Putin said in response to reporters' questions that "Exports from Western Siberian would be easier and faster." According to him, this supply project provides for possible construction of a new pipeline transport system with the working name Altai via Russia's western border with China. As for the Eastern route, there are "no questions", according to the president. He noted that this is the second stage in the development of Russian-Chinese energy cooperation. Putin pointed out that Russia and China already know what gas supply volumes they can expect via the Eastern and Western routes. "This is about 30-40 bcm of gas per year. Eastern and Western Siberia have enough resources for this," he said.