TOMSK (Siberia), April 26 (RIA Novosti) - The government should consider raising prices for gas produced at deposits in East Siberia and Russia's Far East under a new federal program, the energy minister said Wednesday.
Viktor Khristenko said that the new program on development of the gas industry in Siberia and the Far East, due to be adopted by the end of the year, should be based on properly calculated, realistic prices for natural gas, both for domestic consumption and for export.
"All natural gas must be sold for reasonable, realistic prices," Khristenko said, adding that it would be impossible to develop the gas industry in East Siberia if the prices for natural gas remained at the current level.
The new federal program also envisions the creation of a unified gas transportation system to connect Russia, China, and countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
