"A contract [on natural gas supplies] with Moldova for 2006 has not been signed yet, but the Moldovan side has assured us that all [related] issues will be coordinated soon, and the contract will be signed," he said, adding that the Gazprom's proposed price of $160 per 1,000 cu m was "economically grounded."
Earlier Monday Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin discussed by phone the situation around gas supplies from Russia with his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yushchenko, with the latter having promised him to help Moldova, which did not receive Russian gas within two days, with gas supplies from Ukrainian stocks.
Voronin said that the Gazprom's price was not a just market price since Russia and Moldova jointly run Moldovagaz company, but said "the Moldovan government should continue negotiations with the Russian side."
