On 8 December the Energy Ministers of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey will discuss in Tbilisi, the allocation of additional natural gas as part of the Turkish share to be lifted from the Shah-Deniz field.
The Georgian Energy Ministry informed Trend Special Correspondent that the Turkish Minister for Energy & Natural Resources, Hilmi Guler, and the Azerbaijani Minister for Industry & Energy, Natik Aliyev, will meet with their Georgian counterpart Nika Gilauri.
During the meeting the Ministers will make a final resolution on the amount of gas that Georgia will receive in winter through the South Caucasus gas pipeline at Turkey's expense. It is also planned to discuss the energy security of the region and the development of mutual relationships in the energy sector, the Georgian Ministry informed.
A decision to organize a meeting of Energy Ministers of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey was confirmed during the official visit of Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli to Baku. At the order of the Georgian Prime Minister, some $11,000 has been allocated for the organization of the visit of Azerbaijani and Turkish Energy Ministers to Tbilisi.
From 1 January 2007 Gasprom will increase gas prices for Georgia from $110 to $230 per 1,000 cu.m. The Government of Georgia estimated the rise in Russian gas prices to be a political and not economic statement. Georgia is currently in talks with Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkey in its search for alternative sources of gas.