EU Urges Russia To Consult Georgia On Gas Prices

European Commission spokeswoman Emma Udwin said at a briefing in Brussels today that Russia should move to market prices at a pace with which Georgia can cope.

"We support a move to market prices, in general, and understand Russia's wish to move to market prices," she said. "But as we always say, that transition needs to be handled in consultation with the partner country concerned and conducted at a pace that the customer country can absorb."

Russia's natural-gas monopoly Gazprom on November 2 said it wanted Georgia to pay $230 per 1,000 cubic meters in 2007, up from the current $110.

Gazprom's announcement came amid the worst crisis in bilateral relations between Russia and Georgia in years.

EU officials are expected to raise their concerns about Russia's economic pressure on Georgia later today at a meeting  with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Brussels.

(with Reuters)