SOCHI, May 30. /TASS/. Russia and China supported further negotiations of companies on the western route of the gas pipeline Power of Siberia and expect their early conclusion, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told journalist on Monday.

"We support the negotiations of companies, and look forward to their early conclusion on the basis of mutually advantageous positions," Novak said.

According to him, the negotiations between the companies will continue.

"Tomorrow, during the inspection of the Olympic facilities they will continue to talk. This includes negotiations with Gazprom CEO of the board. The work is in progress," the minister said.

Deputy Energy Minister Kirill Molodtsov said earlier that Gazprom and CNPC were actively negotiating increasing gas supplies through the Western route of gas supplies to China.

"We are actively discussing gas supplies through the "Western Route" - 30 bln cubic meters per year. This process is productive, as you know. In the near future we expect to see the results," he said at the time.

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich told TASS that the construction period for the Western route could be changed.

Dvorkovich added that, the Chinese economy and the country’s gas demand continue would grow as coal is substituted by gas, nuclear energy and renewable energy sources.

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.