Ukraine to get cheaper Russian gas if merger with Gazprom accepted

. MOSCOW, July 1 (Itar-Tass) -- Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller said on
Thursday Ukraine could get cheaper Russian gas if it agrees to merge its
Naftogaz Company with Gazprom.
"Our vision is as follows: Naftogaz and Ukraine in general could
resolve the issue of reduced price by accepting our proposal to merge
Naftogaz and Gazprom into a single company. Then the pricing policy would
be unified," he told a press conference.
He said the creation of a joint venture between the two companies is
currently being considered as the first step towards the merger and cannot
result in a lower price.
"It is impossible without the creation of a single enterprise," Miller
said.
"The creation of a joint venture is being discussed but only as a
stage and the first step towards the merger of the two companies," he
added.
Miller earlier said Gazprom may contribute its assets while Naftogaz -
the gas transportation network.
In case of a merger "Russia will load the Ukrainian gas transportation
system to the maximum. That will increase revenues of the Ukrainian budget
and, what is more important, gas supplies to Ukraine will be carried out
at domestic Russian prices for households, industry and power
engineering," Miller said.
"Ukraine will receive a major stimulus for social and economic
development," he stressed.