Interfax reported that Lithuanian gas import and transport company Lietuvos dujos will purchase gas from LLC Gazprom Export subsidiary of Russia OJSC Gazprom in 2012, but at the current price.

Mr Sigita Petrikonyte-Jurkuniene the press officer from Lithuanian company said "A contract on gas supplies for this year has been signed with Gazprom Export."

He declined to specify how much gas Lietuvos dujos plans to purchase or at what price, citing commercial confidentiality.

At the same time, he said that negotiations on improving import conditions in 2012 and in the period after 2012 are being held with Gazprom Export.

Informed sources told Interfax that the agreement was signed with Gazprom Export and not with Gazprom as before. However, this did not affect the supply conditions. The long term contract that Lietuvos dujos signed with Gazprom after the Russian company bought 34% of the Lithuanian company shares in March 2004 is valid until the end of 2015.

The sources also said that Gazprom Export is ready to sign a new long term contract to provide insurance against future competitors that will emerge after Lithuania commissions its liquefied natural gas terminal.

There are assumptions that with the change in gas supplier, Gazprom representatives in Lietuvos dujos' management could also be replaced. Gazprom is currently represented by its Vice President Mr Vladimir Golubev and management board member Mr Kirill Seleznev.

(Sourced from Interfax)