OAO Gazprom deputy chief executive Alexander Medvedev told Handelsblatt that follow-on talks with E.ON AG over the joint development of the Yuzhno Russkoye Siberian gas field have stalled.
"The market changes, the pricing outlook changes and naturally that has to be taken into account," Medvedev told the newspaper.
The two companies last year signed an agreement according to which E.ON will acquire 25 percent minus one share in the gas field for 1.2 billion eur plus minority holdings in its Hungarian subsidiaries.
Earlier press reports indicated that Gazprom now wants E.ON to pay more for the stake in order to reflect rising natural gas prices.
However, Medvedev declined to provide any specific details on the nature of the talks between the two energy giants.
Medvedev also said Gazprom intends to bid for the United Energy Systems (UES) stakes currently being privatised.
However, he said Gazprom has no interest in acquiring parts of Germany's RAG AG.
Gazprom doesn't have "the instinct to buy everything it sees."
(AFX News, 11/06/2007)