MOSCOW, January 13 (RIA Novosti, Peter Lavelle)-A respected Russian business daily reported Friday that Turkmenistan was planning to raise the price for its gas deliveries to Gazprom to $85 per 1,000 cubic meters in 2H06 from the $65 level agreed to for 1H06.

This news could further complicate realization of the recently signed agreement between Russia and Ukraine, under which RosUkrEnergo is required to supply Ukraine with natural gas at $95 per 1,000 cubic meters at the Russian-Ukrainian border.

Vedomosti also cited Ukraine's energy minister as saying the joint venture between RosUkrEnergo and Naftogaz Ukrainy was considering the sale of 2.5bcm of gas to Moldova, which recently lost access to Gazprom's supply amid differences over a new price and delivery regime.

In a related story, Gazprom Chairman and First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said yesterday that RosUkrEnergo should become "absolutely transparent" and suggested Naftogaz Ukrainy should become Gazprom's partner in the company.