Putin to outline priorities in tackling global gas industry's geopolitical problems at GECF summit - Kremlin aide
MOSCOW. Oct 26 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin will outline priority measures to tackle geopolitical problems facing the global gas industry in his speech at the plenary session of the 8th Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Summit at the World Trade Center in Moscow on Tuesday, presidential aide Yury Ushakov said.
"Naturally, Vladimir Putin will be the first to take the floor, and in his speech he will highlight the significance of natural gas as an energy source for ensuring economic growth, will mention problems, including those of a geopolitical nature, facing the gas industry, and will outline the areas of work which we view as priority ones in tackling existing problems," Ushakov said.
GECF Secretary General Philip Mshelbila will deliver his speech after Putin, to be followed by the heads of the delegations attending the event, he said. There will also be speeches by representatives of observer countries, such as Mozambique, Angola, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Malaysia, and Senegal.
The Moscow declaration of the 8th GECF Summit will then be adopted. The document is expected to highlight the role of the forum member countries as reliable suppliers of natural gas and the significant contribution of this energy resource to ensuring global energy security, Ushakov said.
The declaration will also reaffirm the GECF member countries' commitment to advancing their cooperation to diversify trade routes, adopt modern technologies, minimize the impact on the environment, ensure the fair cost of natural gas, price predictability, and lower volatility on the gas market in general.
Putin will also hold a series of bilateral meetings with foreign leaders.
Preparations for the GECF summit began a long time ago, Ushakov said. Thus, invitations to the member countries' leaders to attend the summit in person or send their representatives were sent on behalf of the Russian president in June. "Apart from the forum participants and observers, we invited two countries, Turkmenistan and the Republic of South Africa, as guests," he said.
Six countries will be represented at the GECF summit in Moscow at the top level, Ushakov said. Five of them are GECF member countries, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya Mohammad Al- Manfi, and Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who will attend the summit by video link. Mozambique, a GECF observer country, will also be represented at the top level, by its President Daniel Chapo. Algeria will be represented by its prime minister. The other countries will be represented by the relevant ministers.
