CIS-Iran Gas Cartel Is Proposed As Russia Faces Stronger EU Lobby.

*** Turkmenistan's Annual Gas Exports To Iran Will Reach 14 BCM As From 2008

*** The EU Is Still Keen To Buy Iranian Gas, Despite The Nuke Row, Through The Nabucco P/L To Be On Stream In 2011

*** Gazprom More Than Doubles The Gas Price To Georgia To $230/000 CM

*** Armenia Will Only Pay $110/000 CM Till 2009 After Ceding Control Of A Pipeline; Azerbaijan Pays The Same Price, But It Would Have To Offer Gazprom Something For This To Remain Unchanged

The head of the Russian Duma's Energy Committee Valery Yazev calls for a gas alliance to unite former Soviet republics and Iran to help Russia stand up to the European Union's "cartel" of gas consumers. "It is necessary to form a gas alliance, which could be joined by Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus", Yazev said on Oct. 30, adding: "Tomorrow, with the removal of the problem of Iran's nuclear programme, I would also see Iran in this alliance". Yazev said was speaking at a meeting of the Russian Gas Union industry group, which he also heads.

Yazev said the alliance would form a counterweight to the European Union, which he suggested was taking advantage of its position as a vital source of income for Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom. Yazev said: "In the EU we have a very clearly formed cartel of customers of Russian gas, which is imposing on us the ratification of the Energy Charter, which does not meet Russian interests".

The EU, which imports around a quarter of its natural gas from Russia, has been seeking to persuade Moscow to ratify an international energy charter that regulates transit and investment in the energy sector and would allow for market competition between foreign and independent companies. Russia has declined to ratify ...