The village of Chemal hosted a meeting between Mr Alexey Miller chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and Mr Alexander Berdnikov head of the Altai Republic and Chairman of the Altai Government. The meeting was dedicated to delivery of regional gas transmission and gasification projects.

Taking part in the meeting were Members of the Gazprom Management Committee: Mr Oleg Aksyutin head of the Gas Transportation, Underground Storage and Utilization Department, Mr Yaroslav Golko head of the Investment and Construction Department and Mr Viktor Ilyushin head of the Department for Relations with the Russian Federation Authorities as well as heads and experts from Gazprom's specialized structural units and subsidiaries.

The meeting was also attended by Members of the Altai Government and Mr Ivan Belekov chairman of the Altai Republic State Assembly.

Mr Alexey Miller said that “The Republic of Altai is a strategic partner of Gazprom. Starting from 2007, we have taken a sustained and proactive approach to joint gasification of the region. As a result, natural gas has arrived in two largest population centers of Altai: Gorno-Altaisk and the Maima village. Underway is the construction of inter-settlement gas pipelines to another five population centers. Gazprom and the Altai Government fully comply with the synchronization schedule.”

He said that the cooperation between Gazprom and the Republic was especially significant in relation to the large scale Altai project to be launched in the region. The gas pipeline construction will have a significant effect on the gas supply and gasification, the socioeconomic development and investment attractiveness of the Republic as well as on the Russian constituents that it will cross.

Construction of the Altai gas pipeline will be started only after conclusion of the gas purchase and sale contract with the Chinese party. Nevertheless, Gazprom has already started preparations for the project. During construction Gazprom will pay great attention to the environmental impact mitigation.

Summing up the meeting results, the Gazprom Management Committee Chairman emphasized that the great efforts being taken by Gazprom in the Republic of Altai were of nation-wide significance and subsequently the region would turn into a crucial area on the Russian gas map.