Meeting of Moldovan-Romanian joint Commission to take place on November 2

The meeting of the Moldovan-Romanian joint Commission for Economic Cooperation and European Integration will take place in Chisinau on 2 November 2006. Issues regarding the future trade between the two states will be brought up for discussion here. Mass media in Bucharest reports that the possibility of allotting quantities of natural gas stored in the depot from Roman-Margineni, inclusively for Moldova, could be discussed at the meeting. In compliance with the protocol of December 14, 2005 between the representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce in Bucharest and “Moldova-Gaz”, “Transgaz” and “Romgaz” companies, the sides decided to involve in carrying out this project, inclusively in attracting the representatives of “Gazprom” and “Distrigaz Nord” companies as well. The necessary investments for setting up the gas depot in Roman-Margineni were estimated at 120 and 258 mln EUR. The depot could store between 600 mln and 2 bln cubic meters of natural gas. The Romanian side announces that it made repeatedly approaches to “Gazprom” company, with a view to setting up the depot in concert. Moreover, a memorandum of understating that would lay on the basis of carrying out the project was transmitted to the Russians in August 2006. Bucharest experts say that in case “Gazprom” is not interested in the project anymore, other investors will be looked for. Attracting “Rompetrol” group would be a solution.