Success in the ongoing negotiations for the acquisition of a 23.17 percent stake in state-owned Hellenic Petroleum (ELPE) by the consortium of Lukoil, Russia’s biggest oil company, and Greece’s Petrola, is now up to the parties involved, Development Minister Akis Tsochadzopoulos told a joint press briefing with visiting Russian Energy Minister Igor Yusufov last Friday. “We support the efforts for a deal but this is an issue for the companies themselves”. Yusufov evaded a question on the deal. The consortium has repeatedly set assumption of management of ELPE as a condition for a deal. Tsochadzopoulos said he will soon return the visit by the Russian, energy minister to continue talks on expanding cooperation, given that Greece imports 55 percent of its oil from Russia, and on preparing the agenda for energy issues to be discussed at the EU-Russia summit in St Petersburg in May, Greece is the current EU president. “We shall also clarify EU initiatives regarding the natural gas market, as EU principles and declarations also require dynamic implementation,” said Yusufov.