MOSCOW, December 19 (RIA Novosti) - Russian energy giant Gazprom will sell natural gas to Russian individuals and enterprises at a much lower price than to its foreign customers, company spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov said Monday.
"Russia was, is and will be the world's biggest natural gas producer, and this is our competitive advantage," he said live on Ekho Moskvy (Echo of Moscow) radio.
His comments come against the backdrop of a bitter dispute with neighboring Ukraine. Gazprom wants to charge the country $220-230 per 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas instead of the current $50. But Kupriyanov gave assurances that Russian customers would not be charged the same price. "Gas tariffs for Russian individuals and enterprises will be lower than for gas importers," Kupriyanov said.
However, he warned that gas prices would grow next year in line with government instructions but said world gas prices would be still higher.
