Moldova has sent a delegation to Moscow for continued negotiations with Russia over gas prices, after Russia and Ukraine finalized a deal to solve the gas dispute, according to reports from Chisinau, capital of Moldova, on Wednesday.

The negotiations that are still ongoing in Moscow focus on differences over gas prices between two countries. Russian gas monopoly Gazprom demanded that Moldova pay 160 U.S. dollars per 1,000 cubic meters as of January 2006, which is twice as much the price the country paid before.

Gazprom cut off gas supply to Moldova on Jan. 1 amid the price dispute. Currently, it receives gas supply from Ukraine's own reserves.

"As long as talks are under way over the gas price, Moldova will import gas from Ukraine," Moldovan Industry Minister Vladimir Antosii said.

Moldova does not produce natural gas and purely depends on importation. It imports 3 billion cubic meters every year.

Besides Ukraine, Moldova is also seeking other gas suppliers including Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, Antosii added.

Turkmenistan has already offered to supply gas to Moldova.

In recent year, relations between Moldova and Russia have strained as Chisinau moves to establish closer ties with the West.

Source: Xinhua