Russia proposes gas price hike for Georgia

Published November 3, 2006

MOSCOW, Nov 2: Russia said on Thursday it planned to double its price for gas sold to Georgia -- raising the spectre of last winter's “gas war” between Moscow and Kiev -- after bilateral crisis talks failed to resolve tensions and end a Russian blockade.

“The price of 230 dollars is contained in the proposal sent yesterday to Georgia,” Gazprom spokesman Denis Ignatyev said.

The proposed price for next year would represent a more than doubling of the 110 dollars per 1,000 cubic meters currently paid by Georgia.

Word of the proposal came as high-level talks failed to resolve a bitter dispute that began when Georgia arrested four Russian military officers in September and accused them of spying.

—AFP