MOSCOW, Nov. 29 (UPI) -- Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz and Russian gas monopoly Gazprom examined mining assets in their latest effort to form a joint venture, Gazprom said.
Alexei Miller, the top executive at Gazprom, said during talks with Ukrainian Energy Minister Yury Boiko that mining assets in the Astrakhan oblast near the Ukrainian border were considered during latest talks focusing on forming a joint venture.
"The meeting participants continued discussion of the issues related to setting up a joint venture between Gazprom and Naftogaz, particularly, the resource base that could be contributed by Gazprom to the joint venture," a Gazprom statement read. "The parties considered certain fields, including those located in the Astrakhan oblast."
The issue of a joint venture was first raised in April when Kiev was pushing for a better natural gas deal with Russia.
Miller said during August meetings with Ukrainian leaders that a merger was the best way for Ukrainian consumers to get a cheaper and more reliable source of natural gas.
The National News Agency of Ukraine, however, reports that mineral resources are about the only thing the two sides have agreed on.
