VLADIVOSTOK, September 6. /TASS/. No final agreements have been reached on the construction of the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline but talks are underway, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with TASS at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).
The pipeline was mentioned in the context of a recent meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng.
"This is a megaproject. It is very complex. And, most importantly, this is a commercial project, and commercial negotiations are being held in order to implement it. Commercial talks are always held in a silent mode and are lengthy and thorough. This process is underway. No final agreements have been reached so far. Yet there is the political will of the two sides to continue dialogue on energy," the Kremlin official said.
He emphasized that all the terms under discussion are mutually beneficial. "It is impossible to strong-arm anyone here," Peskov noted.
The Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline is to run from the territory of Yamal peninsula and Western Siberia to China. Its maximum capacity will be 50 bln cubic meters per year. In December, Moscow announced that Gazprom and China’s CNPC had reached the final agreement on the terms of construction of the gas pipeline. Survey work is underway to lay a section of the pipeline through Mongolia.
The Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) is underway on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok on September 3-6, 2024. The main theme of the EEF in 2024 is "Far East 2030. Combining strengths to create new potential."
The EEF is one of the largest international conferences in Russia. It has been held in the Primorsky Region’s Russky Island in Vladivostok since 2015. The Forum is the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who decreed that the event be held annually.
The forum's objectives and goals include promoting the accelerated growth of Russia’s Far East region; assessing its potential for exports; expanding international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region; showcasing the investment appeal of the region, its steadily progressing territories, and the Vladivostok free port.
The Roscongress Foundation has served as the Forum’s organizer since 2016.
TASS is the general information partner of the EEF.