MOSCOW, May 12 (RIA Novosti) - Gazexport, the export arm of Russian energy giant Gazprom [RTS:GAZP] and Conef SA, a Romanian gas supplier, have signed a preliminary agreement on a long-term contract for supplies of natural gas to Romania, Gazprom said Friday.
"The sides agreed that the signing of a long-term contract would open up new possibilities both for Conef SA and other consumers of Russian natural gas with guaranteed long-term supplies," Gazprom said in a statement.
Conef SA is a subsidiary of the Romanian aluminum smelter, Alro, which is a member of the Marco Group, an industrial and energy sector investment holding.
Russia has been exporting natural gas to Romania since 1979. In 2005, Gazexport supplied 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas to the country.
