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Russia, China to discuss construction of Western route — minister

Russia and China will hold energy dialogue in Sochi on May 30, the agenda includes oil and gas complex, power generation, coal industry

ATHENS, May 27. /TASS/. Russian is going to discuss construction of the Western route with China for gas deliveries to the country during the energy dialogue in Sochi on May 30, Energy Minister Alexander Novak told journalists on Friday.

"I think that, of course, we will discuss the whole list of questions that we have on the agenda," Novak said.

He added that the energy sector will be the main topic on the meeting’s agenda - oil and gas complex, power generation, coal industry. The minister said that the meetings will take part, Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich.

According to the memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the natural gas sector dated June 24, 2009, which was inked by Gazprom and CNPC, Russian gas will be supplied to the country in two directions - western and eastern.

The western route stipulates the delivery of 30 bln cubic meters through the pipeline from the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District through the Altai region to the northwest of China within 30 years. For this purpose the Altai pipeline transport system will be constructed to run across the highly mountainous area of the Altai region in West Siberia to be further extended to the Russian-Chinese border. The plan is to launch direct supplies in 2019.

The eastern route implies the development of new fields in Eastern Siberia, firstly Chayanda field and Kovykta gas field. The Power of Siberia gas pipeline is going to be built starting from these fields, which later will be connected with the gas pipeline Sakhalin - Khabarovsk - Vladivostok. A branch pipe to China will be built near Blagoveshchensk. The eastern route stipulates the supply of 38 billion cubic meters of natural gas to China annually within 30 years. The project is worth $400 bln. First supplies are planned for 2018-2019.