India and "Yuganskneftegaz"

India will continue negotiating on the purchase of a package of "Yuganskneftegaz" stock, said Mani Shankar Aiyar, India's Minister of Oil and Natural Gas.

As the Indian Minister indicated, nothing final had been decided yet. "Russian-Indian talks are still underway, and we do not see their conclusion in the near future", said M.S. Aiyar.

At a briefing in Astana the Indian Minister said that he would be coming to Moscow on February 21-22 and have talks with top management of "Rosneft" and "Gazprom", and also with Russia's Minister of Industry and Energy Viktor Khristenko. M.S. Aiyar is currently on a working visit to Kazakhstan.

Sources in Russian government have confirmed the forthcoming visit of the Indian Minister to Moscow. M.S. Aiyar's meeting with V. Khristenko has been scheduled for next Monday. At present "Yuganskneftegaz" Company is owned by the State company "Rosneft".