Serbia and Russia expect to finalize a major energy deal by the end of this year, the head of Russian gas giant OAO Gazprom (GAZP.RS), Alexei Miller, said Friday.
The deal involves the construction in Serbia of part of the South Stream gas pipeline and the Banatski Dvor underground gas storage facility, as well as the purchase of a majority stake in Serbian oil monopoly NIS.
"As far as South Stream and Banatski Dvor are concerned, we are 100 per cent ready to sign" a final agreement, Miller told a press conference in Serbia's capital Belgrade.
"Regarding NIS, there are still some questions but no (major) disagreement," he said.
"All three documents will be signed by the end of the year," he said, adding that this had been agreed in a meeting Friday with Serbian President Boris Tadic.
The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on the agreement in Moscow earlier this year. The deal was ratified by the Serbian parliament in September.
Negotiations since have been stalled against a backdrop of criticism from sections of the Serbian government that NIS was being sold too cheaply at EUR400 million for a 51% stake.