Russia supposes that Azerbaijan is capable to provide itself with gas independently, Mikhail Fradkov, Russian Prime-Minister, has told journalists after his negotiations with his Azerbaijani counterpart Arthur Rasizadeh, Trend reports referring to RBK.
"However our cooperation in this sphere is quite possible, added the Russian Prime-Minister.
He explained that the parties were viewing a possibility on cooperation in the third countries' markets, as well as using underground gas storages of Azerbaijan.
New possibilities do not restrict, but, on the contrary, increase the potential of our cooperation, he said.
At the end of November, 2006, Gazprom OJSC officially confirmed that it was about to reduce its gas export to Azerbaijan from the existing 4.5 bln. cubic meters to 1.5 bln. cubic meters in 2007. According to a representative of Russia's gas giant Sergey Kupriyanov, the volume pointed out will allow Azerbaijan to fully provide itself with import gas, taking into consideration the rise in the imported Russian gas prices, as well as the significant increase of Azerbaijan's own gas production.