PARIS (Dow Jones)--Russian gas monopoly OAO Gazprom (GAZP.RS) aims to take 10% of the French gas market in the next four or five years, its Deputy Chairman Alexander Medvedev told French daily La Tribune in an interview published Thursday.
In 2007, Gazprom has "delivered around 500 million cubic meters of gas to end customers, a volume that will grow," Medvedev said, adding Gazprom hopes "within the next four or five years to reach a 10% market share in France.
"The French market is one of the five most important markets to us...Gaz de France (1020848.FR) is therefore a key partner," Medvedev also said, stressing Gazprom had no asset swap plans with Gaz de France.
Medvedev also said Gazprom had "currently no concrete plan" for acquisitions in Europe but the company would "consider such a possibility if certain conditions are met."
Asked whether French oil giant Total SA (TOT) would take part in the development of the Astrakhan gas field, Medvedev said the companies were "still in preliminary talks...reviewing technical details for this cooperation" and it was "too early to give details on the form of the cooperation will take."