Russian and Chinese firms in active talks on Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, TASS reports

Russia and China are at an "active stage" of talks on a proposed new gas pipeline, the Power of Siberia-2, carrying Russian gas via Mongolia to China, but are unlikely to sign a contract in the next couple of days, Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev said, according to Russia state news agency TASS.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is in Moscow this week for celebrations to mark the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two.

"The companies are working on the contract. They are in the active stage of negotiations, so I think it is unlikely – there are one or two days left - that they will manage to do this before May 9," he said, referring to Thursday's war anniversary.

Russia has been seeking agreement with Beijing for years on building the Power of Siberia-2 to carry 50 billion cubic metres of natural gas a year from the Yamal region in northern Russia to China via Mongolia.

So far, however, the parties have not been able to agree on the terms of gas deliveries. China's ambassador to Russia said last month that the route for the pipeline had yet to be defined. 

Reuters