Moscow Warns CIS Republics Of Higher Energy Prices

A pipeline carries crude from Kazakhstan to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiisk (AFP) 25 November 2005 -- Russia has said it will stop selling energy at subsidized prices to some Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) members and charge them at world rates.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, speaking after a top level CIS meeting in Mosocw on 25 November, said Russia needs "to move away from gray, unclear barter payments and switch to civilized payments, to world prices."

Georgia, meanwhile, has criticized Russian plans to nearly double its gas prices, saying the move was politically motivated. Ukraine and Moldova have also protested Moscow's demands that they pay western European prices for its gas.

All three countries have leaders who have sought to distance their nations from Russia.

Fradkov also said the summit participants signed a number of agreements, including on economic, energy, and humanitarian cooperation.

The group's next summit takes place in May in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe.

(AP/ITAR-TASS)