Gazprom head in Warsaw; reportedly with concessions on Yamal pipeline

Rem Viakhirev, head of Russian natural gas giant Gazprom, met with Economy Minister Janusz Steinhoff in Warsaw yesterday and reportedly made some concessions to Polish demands regarding control of the Yamal gas pipeline passing through Poland. The Polish stretch of the pipeline is owned by EuRopPol Gaz, in which Gazprom and Polish gas monopoly PGNiG each has a 48% stake, with the remainder held by Gaz Trading, a company controlled by businessman Aleksander Gudzowaty. Now Viakhirev is said to have accepted Poland▓s demand to get rid of Gaz Trading, with Gazprom and PGNiG each holding 50% in EuRoPol. Gazprom and the Polish government are also said to be closer to agreement over the controversial fiber-optic cable running along the pipeline, which was allegedly meant to be part of a high-capacity information highway connecting Moscow and Berlin. However, Poland and Gazprom still have a long way to go toward agreement over future development of gas pipelines. Poland wants to develop the second thread of the Yamal pipeline, while the Russian firm wants to build a link between the Polish part of the pipeline and Slovakia. The Polish government believes this would be against the interests of Ukraine, its strategic partner. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p.1; Reuters) T.J.